


What the heart wants

by StardustRainbow



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:48:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 55,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29534988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StardustRainbow/pseuds/StardustRainbow
Summary: Chaeyoung asks for Nayeon's help to win Mina over and offers to help her get with Jeongyeon as a return favour. A story where a series of mixed signals complicates things for four girls. Minayeon endgame.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon, Myoui Mina/Son Chaeyoung, Son Chaeyoung/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 15
Kudos: 93





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Purely a work of fiction

When she was younger Nayeon thought that fairytales were real, everyone got their happy ending and lived happily ever after. As she grew up she learnt that fairytales existed only in books.

She's a happy person generally, she doesn't like to be spend much time brooding but the weather is terrible and the thoughts in her head are running wild keeping her from sleeping. She sighs as she watches the rain hit the window of her room. It was raining the first time she met her.

Nayeon shakes her head, going down that line of thought is only going to hurt her.

There is a knock at her door. Chaeyoung, the ever cheerful and energetic bandmate grins when she opens the door.

"You must help me Unnie." It isn't a question. It is a demand.

Nayeon's eyebrows twists in a frown. She is close to Chaeyoung but everyone knows who she's closer to. So it surprises her that she has come to her for help instead of her best friend who she clings to all the time.

As if sensing her confusion Chaeyoung plops down on her bed and replies, "I can't ask Mina because this is about her."

This piques her curiosity. The girls share everything, there are no secrets between them so why does Chaeyoung want to change it?

"What's it?" She tentatively begins. She doesn't want to be sucked into their drama.

"Unnie, I think I like Mina. As more than a friend." Chaeyoung sighs.

Nayeon chuckles. She has known this for a long time. They basically act like married couple, clinging to each other, spending all their time together, she's just surprised they aren't dating already.

"And?" Nayeon isn't sure where Chaeyoung is going with this. The rain is falling harder now. They have a recording in the morning and she just wants to go to sleep.

"You have to help me win her over. You are the oldest one, you've already dated, so you have experience in love. "

The older girl doesn't know if she should laugh or cry. Love? What does she know about love? She only tried dating to get over that one person who's haunting her every waking moment, every dream, every second of her existence but she's failed miserably in both dating and getting over.

"I'm not sure I can help you there Chaeyoungah. Get out now, we both need to sleep." She chides softly.

Chaeyoung reluctantly gets off the bed, but she knows how to convince Nayeon to help her.

They're shooting for their new music video and Chaeyoung's eyes searches for Nayeon who has managed to disappear as soon as the director announced break.

"Who are you looking for when I'm right here?" Mina jokes as she hugs her from the back. Chaeyoung melts into the hug and her mission to find Nayeon gets side-tracked for a while.

She finds her walking in with Jeongyeon, both sipping on bubble tea, arms looped around each other and laughing about something.

She tells Mina she will be back in a second and walks with a purpose towards Nayeon. Nayeon sees her approaching and doesn't look too happy.

"No." She stops Chaeyoung even before she opens her mouth earning a pout from the younger girl.

Nayeon hates being so soft. And when her bandmates pout they look like babies and her heart is too soft to deny them anything when they're like that. "Two minutes. That's all you get. "

Chaeyoung nods eagerly. Jeongyeon looks between the pair scratching her head, not knowing what this is about. Nayeon removes her arm from around Jeongyeon and drags Chaeyoung to a corner.

"Unnie, if you help me get Mina, I'll help you propose to Jeongyeon."

Nayeon's eyes grow comically. She opens her mouth to say something but Chaeyoung cuts her off. "Everyone knows you have a thing for Jeongyeon and you're too scared to make a move."

"Who has a thing for Jeongyeon?" Momo's voice behind them scares them both. She's standing with Mina.

Chaeyoung's face turn pale and if it isn't for the awkward situation Nayeon would have laughed at her expression.

"How much of our conversation did you hear?" She gulps thickly.

"We just heard you saying someone has a thing for Jeongyeon!" Momo shrugs, looking at the pair with suspicion.

Mina is as calm and quiet as ever besides Momo, so Chaeyoung breathes in relief. "I was just telling Nayeonnie that everyone knows she has a thing for Jeongyeon."

Nayeon flushes slightly and goes to stop Chaeyoung again.

"Oh, but that's old news, I thought someone else has a crush on Jeongyeon too." Momo waves her off.

Chaeyoung lifts an eyebrow at Nayeon as if to say I told you so.

After they walk away, Nayeon grabs Chaeyoung by the collar of her shirt and hisses, "If you promise not to embarrass me like that in front of others, I'll help you with your stupid plan."

Chaeyoung grins and crosses her heart.

\------------

Nayeon wonders why Chaeyoung thinks she'll be able to help her. It's not like Chaeyoung doesn't know about Mina, they practically live in each other's pockets.

"We know each other's secrets but Unnie you're so observant. Even without realizing you notice things about people."

Nayeon scoffs and shakes her head. "You know everything about her. I don't spend a lot of time with her, honestly you've come to the wrong person Chaeyoungah."

"What's her favorite colour?"

"Everyone knows the answer to that."

"Purple. Does anyone know why she likes it?"

"Duh."

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. Even she doesn't know why Mina likes purple so much. Once when she asked her, she said it makes her happy.

"Really? Tzuyu come here!"

Tzuyu comes but because they're in the studio and she's dancing around with Momo and Jihyo they come with her as well to see what the fuss is about.

"Why does Mina like purple?"

Tzuyu taps a finger to her chin. "I have no idea. " She admits reluctantly.

Momo raises her hand excitedly. "She likes rainbows that's why."

Chaeyoung adores Momo but that girl has her blonde moments all the time. "Rainbows are multicoloured Momo."

Jihyo thinks for a while, "I think her childhood room was painted purple."

Nayeon has had enough, this is an easy answer. How did they get it wrong? Maybe Chaeyoung has a point, some people are not observant at all.

"I just know she likes purple because it make her happy." Chaeyoung says disappointedly, "but I don't know why it makes her happy."

"Because it reminds her of summer and sunshine." Nayeon's voice is low but confident. She faintly recalls when they shot for a music video in an orchid field and Mina telling Chaeyoung she's happy there because it's warm and sunny and the purple makes her happy.

Jihyo wants to confirm her answer so she calls Mina. Mina walks to the group wondering why they are not rehearsing.

"Why do you like purple?" Momo impatiently asks.

Mina looks taken aback at the random question. Her friends can be really strange sometimes. "It reminds me of summer and sunshine. "

She walks away after that because the director is calling her for her shot.

Four pair of eyes stare at Nayeon with reverence and accusation, like she's got some superpower she's been hiding from them.

Nayeon knows there's just no backing away from Chaeyoung's plan now. She has pushed herself knee deep into the pit.

It's raining again later that night. Everyone is packing their bags but Nayeon is watching the window again. She's not a fan of rainy weather but the raging storm outside suits the one in her heart.

Tomorrow they'd be away from this, to a place that's full of sunshine and sound of ocean. Their management is gifting them a ten day holiday trip to Hawaii because they're done shooting for their music video and all they need to do is wait for its release. The promotion and performance circus will begin after the release and they are not going to have any time to rest.

The distant sound of rumbling shakes her out of her reverie. The coffee in her hand is cold. She doesn't really care because the bitter taste of coffee puts her off sometimes. But Dahyun made coffee for everyone and she has a hard time saying no to people. If she knew how to say no, she wouldn't be in this mess now.

She walks to the kitchen to empty the mug into the sink. Chaeyoung is making dinner with Mina. Nayeon thinks they already look like a married couple.

She looks around to make sure Dahyun is nowhere around and washes the mug.

"Unnie, have you packed? You know how mad Jihyo gets because you're always packing last minute?" Chaeyoung waves a knife at her playfully.

Nayeon shrugs. "What are you making ?"

"Kimchi fried rice."

"Good luck. Try not to burn the kitchen down."

Chaeyoung sticks her tongue out at her. "It's not my fault Jihyo put Jeongyeon and I together on dinner duty. Mina is here, so don't worry. "

She pulls Mina to her side affectionately and gets a warm smile in return.

Nayeon thinks Chaeyoung really shouldn't have any difficulty in getting her girl. It's awkward standing in the kitchen feeling like a third wheel so she goes to leave her mug in the cabinet and leave the lovebirds alone.

A hand tugs soflty on her shirt and she stops. Mina points to the stove and says, "I made some hot chocolate. You can have some."

Nayeon looks at the pan. It's enough for two people and looks so delicious her stomach lets out a low growl.

Chaeyoung laughs and says, "I'll pretend I didn't hear the animal in your tummy."

Chaeyoung finds Nayeon really cute when the tip of her ears tinge red. She thanks Mina for the hot chocolate and scurries away from the kitchen with the mug in her hand.

"Unnie is so adorable when she gets embarrassed." Chaeyoung stirs the pan absentmindedly, "one of the reason why Jeongyeon loves her I guess."

Seeing she isn't getting any response, she looks to her left. Mina is fully concentrating on the chicken being cooked to perfection. And Chaeyoung thinks this is even more adorable.


	2. Chapter 2

There's something really soothing yet terrifying of watching the clouds from above. It frees you like you're above everything and scares you like you're away from everything. It's both comforting and disturbing.

Nayeon releases a soft breath as Jeongyeon snuggles into her side in her sleep. Another song begins to play on her iPad. John Legend's soulful voice fills her ears and Chaeyoung and Mina walk in her line of vision.

Cause all of me loves all of you  
Love your curves and all your edges

Chaeyoung whispers something in Mina's ears and she shakes her head laughing. They're carrying couple of drinks in their hand and as they pass by her, Chaeyoung winks at Nayeon because Jeongyeon is almost laying on top of her.

Chaeyoung settles down on her seat and looks at Mina who looks as ethereal as ever sitting next to the window basking in the morning sun. She mentally thanks Nayeon because she's the one who is supposed to sit next to Mina according to the seating plan but Nayeon came to her and suggested she swaps seats if she wants to initiate Operation Michaeng.

Chaeyoung is taken back at first because Nayeon has been reluctant about helping her. She understands why Nayeon wanted to switch places when she sees that Jeongyeon is her seating partner. Nayeon can deny it as much as she wants but the truth is plain and obvious for everyone to see, she's whipped for Jeongyeon.

Mina hasn't taken her eyes off her phone and even though Chaeyoung tries to flirt with her as Nayeon suggested, nothing seems to be working.

"You look really pretty today."

Mina smiles.

"And sitting here in the clouds I feel like I'm seeing an angel. "

Google had said this is a good pick up line and can state your intentions and take you out of the miserable friend zone.

"Thank you?" Mina smiles politely once more and goes back to her game.

Chaeyoung leans back into her seat with an annoyed sigh. She drags Jeongyeon by her collar and asks her to switch places an hour into the ride.

Nayeon's patience is running thin with Chaeyoung.

"That's a cheesy pick up line. She's going to think you're just being playful. You need a line that's more to her taste."

Chaeyoung pouts.

Nayeon doesn't know how she ended up here. She really needs to learn to put her foot down and say no. Because she's sitting next to Mina and Mina is looking at her with a confused expression on her face.

"Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon are trying to write a song together." Nayeon offers as an explanation as to why they've switched places.

"A song about?"

"About the first stages of love and the difficulties of asking someone out."

"That explains why Chaeyoung used a pick up line on me earlier." She quits the game on her phone and stares out at the window at the light peeking through the clouds.

"Did it work?"

"No," She chuckles, "It was cheesy."

Nayeon nods with a smile. That's exactly what she told Chaeyoung. She wrecks her brain on how to ask Mina what kind of lines work on her without exposing Chaeyoung but she can't think of anything and it's making her frustrated, so she just comes right out and asks Mina, "So what kind of lines work on you?"

Mina turns to look at her. If she's fazed by the random question she doesn't show it, there's a pleasant smile on her face as always. "Anything that's honest." She says softly.

They sit in companionable silence after that , Mina immersed in another game and Nayeon listening to her music. Nayeon is still thinking about what Mina said about honest pick up lines and wants to test it.

So sometimes later when the younger girl asks if she wants to swap the window seat with her because the morning view is glorious through the window, Nayeon sees her opening and looks at Mina for a long second. "No, my view is better."

The faint blush she gets in return tells her Mina wasn't lying about what works on her.

She corners Chaeyoung near the toilet and tells her, "Compliment her but be natural about it. Trust your inner flirt, not the google article about 101 lines that work on women. "

Chaeyoung opens her mouth to defend herself. Nayeon cuts her off. "Don't bother denying it."

Chaeyoung deflates. She did take her line from an article titled 'Beginners guide to flirt, guaranteed lines that work.'

The rest of the plane ride goes without a hitch. Chaeyoung tries to pay attention to every single word Mina says and store the information at the back of her head. Nayeon spends her time annoying the other members with Jeongyeon.

Ten hours later they're standing in front of their private villa next to a private beach that's fully secluded and away from the public eye.

Just the kind of place they need to unwind, just the kind of place the stars in their fate have chosen so love can find its way.

\-----------------------------

Finally the universe seems to be working in her favour. When the girls said rock, paper and scissors is going to decide who is getting the room with the double bed for themselves, Nayeon is sure she's going to lose. She's always been unlucky like that. Not today.

She stands in the middle of the room enjoying the magnificent view. There's a double bed right in the centre that overlooks the huge French windows that brings the brilliant view of the ocean. The room is warm, painted yellow and green and purple and reminds her of summer that she almost wishes Mina has won the rock paper scissor.

She unpacks quickly and walks around the villa. On the first floor there is a bedroom with two double beds. Chaeyoung, Mina, Dahyun and Jihyo are staying in the room and there's a gym and outdoor pool next to their room. The top floor has another bedroom which Sana, Jeongyeon, Tzuyu and Momo are sharing. There's also a home theater and a well stocked bar on that level. The only room on the ground floor is Nayeon's. The ground floor has an open kitchen and a huge living room that is perfect for gossiping and chatting and late night Netflix.

The house is painted in warm colors and even though it has all the modern technology the girls need to amuse themselves with, it doesn't look expensive or exotic. It looks cosy, homely and with flowers and vines covering and decorating every nook and corner of the brick walls, and antique wooden furniture and paintings adorning the room, it gives a Harry Potter vibe to the house.

Nayeon opens the door to the outdoor swimming pool. With the view of the ocean so close it almost looks like the pool is a part of the sea and Nayeon swears she could spend the right of her life here if she could.

"This place is so beautiful."

She turns around and smiles her bunny smile at Dahyun. She sits on one of the reclining chairs near the pool and stares at the gently crashing waves.

"It is. It has the Hogwarts.. "

Dahyun excitedly cuts her off. "Mina and I were saying the same thing. It feels like we are in The Burrow, you know where the Ron family lives? "

Nayeon reists the urge to roll her eyes, she just said Hogwarts so why isn't she going to know about The Burrow?

Dahyun sits on the foot of Nayeon's reclining chair and takes in the view.

"Who's your bedmate?"

"I'm sharing my bed with Mina, Chaeyoung is sharing hers with Jihyo. "

Nayeon wonders how Chaeyoung let the opportunity to share a bed with Mina pass.

"Although Chaeyoung has been annoying me to let her share the bed with Mina, there's no way I'm going to be bedmates with Jihyo. She kicks in her sleep."

That explains it. Chaeyoung definitely has her mind set on getting her girl. And Mina definitely deserves someone who's willing to go the whole nine yards for her.

They turn to look at the door to the patio when they hear it open. Momo walks in with a cocktail she's made from the bar and skips to where Nayeon and Dahyun are sitting. She sits on Nayeon's lap and gives a loud kiss on her cheek.

Nayeon laughs at the goofy girl and points out that there are about hundred other chairs on the patio. Momo decidedly ignores her.

"Do you want to try the cocktail I made?" She offers a sip to Dahyun and Naeyon.

It's too early in the evening and it hasn't even been an hour since they reached. The alcohol in the drink is a bit too strong and Nayeon raises a quizzical eyebrow at Momo. "Isn't it too early for such strong drinks?"

"Nayeon-chan," She shuffles the hair on Nayeon's head affectionately. "You're always cheerful and you make everyone happy but you don't know how to make yourself happy. Live a little."

She taps her nose and Nayeon has to agree with the truth in her words. She always puts others before herself, maybe it's time she paid a little attention to herself.

"Fine." She huffs playfully, grabs the drink from Momo and chugs it down in one swig.

The three of them are drunk enough to be laughing and goofing around but not that drunk to be considered sloshed by the time the the rest of the girls are done unpacking.

Jihyo doesn't chide them when she finds them dancing and rapping to Cardi-B, she wants them to enjoy the regular life that other girls of their age get to have. She would have told them off if they were working, but they're in Hawaii and she's not going to stop any of them from having fun.

"Selfish pricks. Go make me some drinks as well." She shooes Momo and Nayeon in the direction of the bar.

Nayeon and Momo listen obediently. They make drinks for all the girls and when they return to the patio all the members are sitting around the pool except for a drunk Dahyun. She's sitting by the pool talking to the moon.

Nayeon is tipsy, the buzz of the alcohol is in her head but she's not a lighthead like Dahyun so she's not drunk enough to talk to inanimate things. Or that's what she tells herself.

An hour later, Chaeyoung pulls Mina back from going to where Dahyun is and silences her.

"I have to ask Dahyun something. "

"Wait. "

She pulls out her phone and records the scene in front of her.

Nayeon's feet dangle in the water, the white shorts and flowery shirt she's wearing, the long wavy curls of her hair and her cute bunny teeth makes her look like a character that came straight out of Narnia. She's sandwiched between a drunk Dahyun and Momo.

"Why won't you talk to me? You can't avoid me forever." Dahyun looks longingly at the moon, sniffs and wipes her nose on Nayeon's shirt.

"The heartless moon. Dahyun's been hitting on her for an hour now." Momo reaches around an unusually quiet Nayeon and pats Dahyun's head affectionately.

Mina bites back a laughter. Now is probably not the best time to ask Dahyun about swimming with the dolphins .

Chaeyoung keeps recording. "Atleast Nayeon is not that drunk. But it's a little weird she's sitting still in one place."

She's about to put her phone down when Momo asks Nayeon, "Do you think the moon doesn't like her back? Why is she not talking to Dahyun?"

Nayeon who's been quiet so far turns to Momo with a straight face and whispers loudly, "Because that's not the moon. That's a doughnut. "

Chaeyoung doubles over in laughter and Mina just stares in their direction with a fond smile on her face.


	3. Chapter 3

Nayeon groans as she rubs her eyes tenderly. There's a mess of dark hair on her face that's making her skin itchy.

She pulls back slightly and find that it's Momo who's sleeping half on top of her. She doesn't remember how or why they've ended up together on her bed.

There's a gentle knock on the door. Sana walks in with two glasses of water and headache pills.

"Momo got upset you called the moon a doughnut and you tried to prove that it's actually a doughnut by trying to reach it and eat it and fell into the pool. Momo thought you fell off the titanic and kept screaming Jack come back even though we explained you're Nayeon and when we pulled you out of the water she won't let you go and kept singing my heart will go on crying loudly. So I changed you into warm clothes and Mina changed Momo into her night clothes and we left you here together. "

Sana finishes the story in one breath and Nayeon just wants to find a hole that she can crawl into and die.

"Don't be embarrassed. We found it really entertaining." Sana gently pats the older girl's cheeks with an affectionate smile and Nayeon just wants to disappear into thin air.

When they make it to the late brunch and Jeongyeon asks Nayeon with a cheeky grin if she can pass the moon pointing at the doughnuts on the table and her bandmates dissolve into fits of laughter, Nayeon swears she's never going to drink again in her life.

In the afternoon the girls have booked bungee jumping. Nayeon is terrified of heights so she offers to record the girls who are willing to do it.

When they reach the jumping site, Chaeyoung approaches her looking petrified.

"I can't jump with Mina." She admits.

"You are in love with her, you know love means that you should be able to overcome your fears for someone you love?"

Chaeyoung has the decency to look ashamed. "Maybe it's not love yet. Love takes a long time Unnie."

Nayeon sighs. It's true, love is a long process, you need to get to know the person, get to see who they really are. Love doesn't come at first sight, except in films and for weirdos like her. "What do you want me to do? "

"Can you do exactly like I say in front of Mina?"

So ten minutes later she's standing before Mina and Chaeyoung pretending that she never expected this to happen, pretending she hasn't already agreed to jump with Mina.

"I don't want Mina to jump alone, but my headache has gotten worse. Please Unnie?" Chaeyoung begs with puppy dog eyes.

"Chaeyoungah I can go alone. It's fine." Mina reassures her.

Nayeon sees how touched Mina is that Chaeyoung cares so much about her.

"Fine, I'll do it. You owe me!" Nayeon sighs reluctantly.

When they're alone, Nayeon's heart beating in her throat when she reaches the cliff, she hears Mina's concerned voice beside her. "Nayeon-chan are you not scared of heights?"

"No." Nayeon lies smoothly. "Besides Chaeyoung is literally begging everyone to go with you. She cares about you a lot you know Minayah? I'm actually doing this so she'd quit whining."

Mina nods her head like she understands. Nayeon knows Mina will never understand how important she's to people, she has always been like that, she never sees how special she is in the eyes of others.

When they jump, Nayeon forgets that she's scared of heights because Mina is shaking so much that she holds her gently and reassures her that it's going to be okay.

When they touch down Mina finds Chaeyoung waiting for her and hugs her so tight Nayeon feels that true love doesn't really need anyone's help. It'll find its way if it's meant to be.

Just as the thought occupies her head, she sees Jeongyeon approach them with a big smile on her face.

True love will always find its way. She thinks to herself again.

\----------

Tzuyu and Mina are having a cup of coffee in the patio after they return from their bungee jumping. There's a full moon out there and Mina is looking at it with a smile on her face.

"I can't look at moon the same again. It's always going to remind me of doughnuts. " Tzuyu laughs.

Mina is about to say something when they see Chaeyoung waving at them from the rooftop terrace excitedly.

"Careful, you're going to fall." Mina yells looking above, as Chaeyoung leans further away from the railing to wave properly.

Tzuyu chuckles. "She's already fallen hard for you. You should have seen how Chaeyoung begged Nayeonnie just so you'd have someone to jump with."

Tzuyu's voice is confident, like she's stating a fact, a universal truth even.

"I don't think Chaeyoung likes me like that." Mina shrugs, like she's not sure she's worthy of someone's affection. Outside, she always seems calm and composed but inside her heart is like a land hit by hurricane.

Tzuyu is about to say something but something catches her attention as she looks behind Mina in the direction of the ocean and her eyes grow. "Did I just see Jeongyeon and Nayeon disappear behind the coconut trees? "

Mina turns to her side but the coconut trees are lined up closer in the spot Tzuyu is looking at and it's pretty dark so can't see much anyway.

"You'd think they'd be able find a make out spot in this house considering how huge this place is." Tzuyu shakes her head and laughs when Mina sputters her drink.

"Went down the wrong pipe." Mina wipes her dress with a tissue in a slow and elegant motion. Tzuyu has never seen someone look so chic and classy even when they're having a clumsy moment.

"You look like a homeless person. "

Chaeyoung pouts when Jeongyeon's loud voice boom with laughter.

"Jeongyeon, be nice." Nayeon pinches her side making her release a girlish squeal which is so unlike her and Chaeyoung points at her and laughs making Jeongyeon frown.  
Nayeon understands Chaeyoung likes to be comfortable when she's on holidays but tracksuit and baseball hat isn't the attire she thought she'd choose when she's about to take her girl out on a surprise romantic date.

"I only packed comfortable clothes because we're in Hawaii in our own private villa."

Nayeon guessed as much. She walks to her wardrobe and pulls out a chic white and beige jumpsuit. 

"Did you think we'd hole up in the house for all the ten days Chaeyoungah?" Jeongyeon pokes Chaeyoung's cheeks who slaps her hand away.

"Wear this." Nayeon throws the jumpsuit at Chaeyoung. "I think my beige strapped heels would go perfectly with it."

Nayeon finds them under her bed and shoves it in Chaeyoung's hand.

"Thank you so much Unnie, you really are the best.."

Nayeon stops her with a hand. "You can tell me what a rockstar I am after this. " She walks with a proud smile to her wardrobe and fishes out a small bag from a box that's named Operation MiChaeng. 

Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon stare at her with their curious eyes.

A short blue dress with pretty yellow flowers and an elegant V neck lays in Chaeyoung's hand after a while. It's so very Hawaiian and so pretty and Chaeyoung doesn't know how to thank Nayeon. Nayeon might pretend she doesn't want to help her but she really has the kindest heart among all of them. Overcome with emotion she pulls her into a tight hug and pecks her cheek.

"I just don't like to do my job half arsed." Nayeon waves her away when Chaeyoung doesn't shut up about what an amazing person she is.

"So that's why you disappeared after the jump. To buy this dress." Jeongyeon states like she's finally solved a puzzle.

"There was this cute little boutique I saw outside the jumping site. It's not a branded shop or anything but they have really cute stuff and I know Chaeyoung wants to be romantic but doesn't know how to, so I picked it up for her."

"Does that mean you know how to be romantic?" Jeongyeon bumps her shoulder with Nayeon and the older girl blushes a little.

"Third wheel still in the room." Chaeyoung clears her throat loudly earning a smack to the back of her head from Nayeon.

An hour later standing in front of the rooftop terrace where Mina has sneaked away with her phone in hand to play some game, Chaeyoung feels like she can't breathe.

Compliment her throughout the dinner. Make her feel special. Hold her hand. Get out of the friend zone. She already likes you, she is not going to say no. You've got this bro. She repeats Nayeon's word in her head.

Taking a deep breath, she opens the door to the terrace loudly hoping the stars have aligned in her favour today.


	4. Chapter 4

Jeongyeon doesn't know how they got here. One minute they're both saying no and next minute Chaeyoung is looking at them with her big puppy dog eyes that they both reluctantly nod their head.

She's getting her guitar tuned and Nayeon is decorating the spot. The spot is just by the beach where the coconuts trees have lined up in a circle. Nayeon bumps her head against something and mutters a curse as she arranges the fairy light in a beautiful array of lines on the coconut trees. Lanterns hang from the trees giving the place a soft glow.

In the center, there is a table for two. The table itself is covered by a simple white cloth but the beautiful wild flowers that's carefully chosen by Nayeon to fit in with the aesthetics of the place laying in a vase, a candle illuminating the table with its soft light and its pleasing lavender aroma wafting around in the air gives the place a vibe that would make anyone want to fall in love the moment they step there.

Jeongyeon adjusts the straps on her guitar and lights the campfire a little away from the trees by the beach. She's wearing a bright yellow shirt, white shorts and beige flip flops to go with the theme.

She feels bad for Nayeon who's playing the part of a waiter today. In her tight baby blue trousers and tucked in white shirt it must be difficult moving around to decorate but she's done a magnificent job with the spot.

"At least I'm wearing my comfortable shoes." She points at her white adidas shoes and grins at Jeongyeon, and Jeongyeon melts a little because sitting on the sand completely exhausted and playing with the beige bow tie she borrowed from Tzuyu, Nayeon is a threat to wreck even the coldest of hearts.

"You look good." Jeongyeon states matter of factly, giving her a once over.

Nayeon touches her hair self consciously and her cheeks flush a little. She gets off the sand when the phone vibrates, dusts her trousers and clears her throat. "I think they're going to be here. "

She slips the phone back into her pocket and drags the stand they nicked from the home cinema which has been converted into a food cart behind the tree. She pulls Jeongyeon along with her and hide themselves behind the cart.

Mina let goes off Chaeyoung's hand when she reaches the place as she brings both of her hands to cover her mouth and lets out a soft gasp.

"Chaeyoungah, this is amazing. "

She's hit with overwhelming emotions because when Chaeyoung gifted her a beautiful dress and says she has something special planned for her, she never ever imagined that it's going to be this beautiful. It's as if Chaeyoung created a piece of fairytale just for her and the effort tugs at her heart a little.

Chaeyoung takes her hand and drags the chair motioning for her to sit and Mina feels truly special. She can't imagine someone would go through all this only for her to have a special night.

"All this place needs is music." Mina sighs wistfully as she looks at Chaeyoung.

Chaeyoung chuckles because she remembers when Nayeon said Mina would want music to compliment the place and how she had turned her full charm and puppy dog eyes at Jeongyeon who began to back away and say no.

"Your wish is my grant." She bows and claps lightly.

Mina's eyes widen as Jeongyeon appears from behind a tree and seats herself on a bar stool a little away from them and begins to play the chords to James Blunt's You're beautiful.

"Wow." Mina chuckles and puts a hand to her chest in disbelief and reaches across the table to gently squeeze Chaeyoung's hand. "I can't believe you did all this for me. "

Chaeyoung's gaze turns serious. She takes a deep breath as she looks into Mina's eyes and repeats the word Nayeon taught her. "You're a special person Mina. I just want to treat you like a princess even if it's for a day because you deserve nothing less than that."

Mina's throat constricts when she hears the honest words because she does feel like a princess. In her mind, this is definitely pushing the lines of friendship and she doesn't know how to respond, not until Chaeyoung states her intentions clearly.

She nods shyly, averts her eyes from Chaeyoung and leans back on her chair.

Chaeyoung thinks she's going to have no problem in asking Mina out tonight and getting an yes if the blush on her cheeks is anything to go by.

\----------------

But Chaeyoung doesn't know the problem is going to come in the form of an adorable babbling drunk. Chaeyoung and Mina are talking about their day and how scared Mina felt while she jumped off the cliff.

"Thank you for convincing Nayeon to jump with me. I'd have died if I were alone." Mina says a little too dramatically.

"Well, I'm not going to let a pretty girl die. Not on my watch." Chaeyoung squeezes the delicate hand that's close to hers on the table and Mina turns a little pink.

She's definitely a fast learner. Nayeon thinks as she leans against a tree.

Chaeyoung's stomach lets out a low growl loud enough to make Mina chuckle.

"Don't be embarrassed. I'm starving too. Lets go home and grab some food." Mina says sympathetically. They had lunch at midday because they had the jump scheduled in the afternoon. It's almost nine now and they still haven't eaten. She's reluctant to leave the spot because it's enchanting and beautiful and she wishes she could spend a little more time there. "I wish we could eat here. It's too wonderful to leave. "

Chaeyoung smiles really wide. "Your wish is my grant."

She claps again. Mina wonders if Jeongyeon is going to stop playing the guitar and get them food. To her complete and utter shock, Nayeon appears from behind another tree pushing a cart. She bows lightly as she reaches their side and whisks away the cloth that's covering the cart in one swift and elegant motion. There are two trays of beautifully decorated prawn salad with a side of sauce and a bottle of red wine to go with it.

She places them on the table and sets the glasses of wine gingerly by their side.

"Wine, madam?" Nayeon looks at Mina who's still staring softly in awe and wonder, it almost makes her want to chuckle. But she has to be professional, for baby Chaeyoung's sake.

Jeongyeon has switched to playing Come away with me by Norah Jones now.

Mina clears her throat and nods after a while.

Nayeon fills her glass to half and pours for Chaeyoung as well.

"Enjoy your drink, Madam." She bows and disappears behind the tree pulling the cart along with her.

Knowing there's Jeongyeon and Nayeon probably witnessing this makes Mina a little self conscious. But once the wine settles in her, she feels a little calmer and finds herself to be able to hold a conversation with Chaeyoung without fidgeting.

When they're done with the salad, Mina wonders if they're ever going to get around to eating proper food. As if hearing her thoughts, Nayeon appears at the perfect time serving them chicken spaghetti in creamy sauce and refills their glass of wine.

"Bonne appetit, Mademoiselle." She says as she sets the plate down before Mina and bows gracefully before leaving.

"Chaeyoungah." She doesn't know what to say. She can't believe the younger girl has convinced Jeongyeon to be a guitarist and Nayeon to be a waiter for their dinner.. date? Is this a date, because it definitely feels like one.

"Don't say anything yet. Lets enjoy our food first." Chaeyoung stops her, as if she knows what Mina is about to ask.

Mina takes a mouthful of mood and moans quietly. "This is delicious."

Nayeon high fives herself because she's glad she chose the little diner to order the food from instead of the expensive restaurant. It's always the small places that offers the best.

Chaeyoung extends her hand to Mina once they're done with their food. "Dance with me?"

Mina looks around quizzically. She's not sure how much dance they can do with just guitar music. She still takes the extended hand because she can't deny Chaeyoung anything after all the wonderful night she'd given her.

Nayeon appears again with her portable Karaoke that she carries everywhere and a boom box. She sets them down next to Jeongyeon and unfolds a chair that's perched against the tree. She passes a mic to Jeongyeon who puts her guitar away. Mina looks at them questioningly.

When they turn the karaoke on, and begin to sing Ed Sheeran's Shape of you, Mina breaks into a laughter that sounds musical to Chaeyoung's ears. She mentally thanks Nayeon for choosing a light and fun song to break the awkward tension Mina is showing. Nayeon definitely knows people more than she lets on.

Mina relaxes a little as Chaeyoung spins her around and it's all fun and amusing and she's jumping along with Chaeyoung who's holding her in her arms when Nayeon and Jeongyeon shift to Rihanna's only girl in the world.

Chaeyoung turns Mina around and they're facing each other with matching goofy smiles and Nayeon decides that's the perfect moment to smoothly switch over to Elvis' Can't help falling in love.

There's a thick tension in air suddenly as Chaeyoung pulls Mina closer to her, leaning on her shoulder and sways them to the slow music.

Jeongyeon strums the guitar as they turn off the Karaoke off for this particular song. She turns to look at Nayeon who looks exquisite under the fairy lights belting out a classic Elvis.

Only fools rush in ,  
But I can't help falling in love with you

Chaeyoung moves them both and Mina relaxes in her hold letting the music and the words wash over her. She opens her eyes and Chaeyoung sways them around bringing the musical duo in her line of vision.

Like a river flows, surely to the sea  
Darling so it goes, somethings are meant to be

Nayeon puts all her soul and emotion into the song. When Mina's gaze accidentally comes to rest on hers Nayeon looks away awkwardly because she feels like she's interrupting a private moment.

Chaeyoung spins them around again.

Take my hand take my whole life too  
For I can't help falling in love with you  
For I can't help falling in love with you.

Nayeon finishes softly and Jeongyeon strums the last chord and the moment grows thick with the tension hanging in the air.

Chaeyoung pulls back and locks her gaze with Mina who swallows thickly. Her gaze searches into Chaeyoung, her heart palpitating in her throat anxious of what's going to come.

"Mina." Chaeyoung's voice is barely a whisper. She knows this is a picture perfect moment to ask Mina. She lets out a soft breath and takes a step closer to the girl.

Nayeon looks away. Jeongyeon looks tense.

"I need to tell .."

Before she gets her words out they hear a loud scream.

"Jaaaaaackkk. You're here. "

A drunk Momo is running towards them, pushing them out of the way and jumps on top of Nayeon toppling her to the ground and begins to wail clinging on to her.

Chaeyoung doesn't know if she should cry or laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

Mina is holding a hand to her stomach because she's laughing so hard. It's not everyday you see Nayeon being chased by a drunk Momo around the trees because she wants to give a kiss to Jack.

"What the hell?" Chaeyoung asks Jihyo who shrugs apologetically. She's texted them of the plan and asked them to keep away.

"We were drinking in the pub at home and you know what a lighthead Momo is. She started crying for Jack after two drinks." Tzuyu explains.

"And for some reason Sana thought the best way to calm her down is by giving her another drink." Jihyo adds, "and now we're here."

Sana tries to hold Momo back to keep Nayeon safe. But she breaks free and runs after a screaming Nayeon again. Dahyun puts herself in the middle of Nayeon and Momo and tries to reason with her. "You're not Rose."

Momo whines. " I am. Move out of my way. "

Dahyun blocks her again. "Rose doesn't wear joggings and T-shirt in Titanic, does she? She wears dresses."

Momo's eyes widen as she takes a good look at herself. "I'm not Rose!!"

Danger averted, Dahyun sighs but when Momo's eyes lands on Mina who's in a pretty dress and her eyes gleam like she's finally figured something, Dahyun knows they're screwed.

"Rose is cheating on Jack." Momo whispers conspiratorially to Jihyo who's taking a swig of her beer. Jihyo looks at Chaeyoung and Mina dancing around to music and sighs. She knows she shouldn't have let Momo get drunk. 

When they sit around the campfire, Jeongyeon strumming her guitar and the girls singing along to songs, Momo drags a startled Mina away from Chaeyoung and pushes her onto Nayeon's lap.

"Rose you belong with Jack. "

Dahyun looks at Nayeon and Mina apologetically when they narrow their eyes at her.

"I'm not Jack, Momo." Nayeon tries weakly.

"So why are you wearing a bow tie?"

Nayeon stares at Chaeyoung who convinced her to dress the part and the younger girl offers a sheepish smile and looks away guiltily.

Mina gets off Nayeon's lap and settles to sit beside her because she knows Momo isn't going to let her be with Chaeyoung.

A while later most of them are in varying stages of drunk except Nayeon who's just having fun seeing the girls have fun.

Dahyun is doing chicken dance with Jihyo and Sana. Jeongyeon is a being a very good DJ. She's even cleared the table away to convert the spot into a dance floor. Nayeon averts her gaze when Jeongyeon catches her eyes and smirks.

Momo is dancing with Tzuyu, she's too drunk to notice Mina is dancing with Chaeyoung.

She spoke too soon. Because Jeongyeon accidentally plays Titanic theme song and Momo pounces at Chaeyoung separating the pair and pushes a flustered Mina into Nayeon's arms.

"Dance with Jack, Rose. Don't be a hoe!!"

Nayeon stares at Momo's behind with her mouth agape.

Mina starts to giggle. "Did she just call me a hoe??"

Nayeon scratches her neck, throws her the signature bunny tooth smile and apologizes profusely. "I'm really sorry for ruining your date. I should have never fell into the pool yesterday." If she hadn't, she'd have never been Jack.

Mina looks up at her and blushes a little, as she sways along to the music in the older girl's arms. "It wasn't a date."

Nayeon rolls her eyes. "Minayah, don't be a blonde."

Mina chuckles. "So I'm Rose, a hoe and a blonde, all in one night. Thank you Jack, you're a gentleman."

Nayeon bites back a smile. It's always easy to hold a banter with Mina. They both double over in laughter when they see Momo and Dahyun waving at the moon and giving it the finger.

When the song finishes, Nayeon steps back and bows lightly. "Thank you for the dance. " Mina laughs lightly and bows back.

Nayeon puts a hand on her back and guides her to where Chaeyoung is sulking next to Jeongyeon and assures her Momo isn't going to separate them again.

Chaeyoung pouts a little. The perfect moment has already been ruined. But that doesn't mean she didn't want to spend time with Mina. "Thank you for bringing my girl back."

Mina blushes a little.

"Enjoy your night, lovebirds." Nayeon bows and lays a kiss on Mina's hand playing her part perfectly.

Chaeyoung sees Mina flush even harder when Nayeon calls them lovebirds and her heart flutters a little. Maybe her date hadn't been a total failure after all.

\-----------------

It begins to drizzle when the girls finally call it a night. They run towards the house and Tzuyu has to practically carry Momo because she's far too gone to walk on her feet after two beers.

Nayeon makes herself some hot chocolate. It's around one in the morning but the thoughts in her head are running too wild to let her sleep. She's a masochist, why else would she hurt herself like this?

"Why does she always stare at the rain?" Chaeyoung whispers to Mina as they walk past her to the kitchen on the ground floor to make a late night snack. "That's the only time I see her stay still in one spot."

Mina shrugs. Nayeon is an enigma, she's friendly, funny and cheerful but nobody gets to see the real person behind the outer charm. Nobody knows what's going through her head when she stares at the rain with a faraway look in her impenetrable dark eyes that carefully guards many emotions behind them. She's never seen her let those guards down.

"Guess nobody is gonna get a glimpse of the real Nayeon except Jeongyeon someday." Chaeyoung says casting one final glance at the girl looking into the night.

Mina nods her head silently in agreement.

"Momo, I love you with all my heart but if you mess with my cooking again, I'm going to throw you out the window." Nayeon walks into the kitchen rubbing the sleep off her eyes to see what the fuss is about.

Tzuyu is trying to make french toast but Momo keeps adding something or other to the eggs.

Nayeon glances at the watch. It's nine in the morning. They need to be at a site where they let you swim with the dolphins in two hours. Even though they're on holidays they have to record an hour of their activities for their fans and they're never going to get breakfast if the pair kept bickering like this.

The other girls join them shortly and when Tzuyu and Momo start arguing again about how much salt is perfect, Nayeon has had enough.

"Some of us are hungry here." She loudly moans at the pair and asks them to quit fighting.

"Chaeyoungah. Why don't you take Momo away so I can help Tzuyu?" Mina rubs a soothing hand on Chaeyoung's legs and she nods her head like a puppy on a leash.

Jeongyeon makes a whipped motion making Nayeon laugh.

Ten minutes later they have the toasts ready because an organized Mina and a hardworking Tzuyu are working synchronized in the kitchen.

Nayeons shoves her face with food.

"I know you missed dinner last night but your face is gonna explode if you stuffed so much food Unnie." Chaeyoung pokes her cheeks.

"You missed dinner last night?" Jihyo's tone is annoyed. She is all about tough love.

"Yeah because she was busy decorating the spot for my dinner da.." Chaeyoung stops herself from saying date just in time and her eyes grow wide. Mina tenses by her side.

"You shouldn't miss meals." Mina says not really looking at Nayeon, as she grabs a carton of orange juice and pours it for herself.

Chaeyoung is glad that Mina has diverted the attention to something else and hasn't said anything about her near confession. Breakfast table isn't the perfect place or the moment to ask her out.

"Anyway, if singing didn't work out for you, you could have been a successful interior designer. That place looked really beautiful last night." Sana points a fork at Nayeon who's growing quieter by the second.

"Looks like Momo and Tzuyu are friends again." Nayoen changes the topic quickly, glancing at where they're sitting, leaning on each other like they weren't at each other's throat a few minutes ago.

"They're so weird." Jeongyeon says, "but cute."

She turns to Nayeon who's looking at her and plants a kiss on her cheek. "Not as cute as you though."

Dahyun laughs when Nayeon flushes brightly.

Chaeyoung averts her gaze, Mina clears her throat, Jihyo throws a knowing smile and Sana high fives Jeongyeon.

Tzuyu and Momo are feeding each other a piece of their toasts.

Nayeon thinks they're definitely the weirdest bunch of celebrities.


	6. Chapter 6

Nayeon is shaking in her boots, she knows the animal is friendly but something about its size intimidates her.

"Don't be scared. She's really nice." The instructor encourages her.

Dahyun is on her side rubbing soothing circles on her shoulders. Nayeon is trembling, her skin growing paler by the second as she wills herself to take a step towards the animal.

Mina sees that Nayeon looks really petrified, and she knows the first step is the hardest to take so she goes to her side and squeezes her hand gently in a reassuring gesture. Nayeon is grateful for them because she's not sure she could do this otherwise. She takes a tiny step towards the dolphin.

"Look at them. They're best friends now. "

Dahyun points at Nayeon who's playing with the dolphin which has taken a huge liking to the older girl. Dahyun's eyes soften because she doesn't get to see this childlike carefree side of Nayeon often these days. She turns to her side to see that Mina also has a soft look on her face like she's thinking the same.

Chaeyoung whisks Mina away from the girls for lunch in an expensive restaurant after they get home and change into fancier clothes.

"Chaeyoungah you shouldn't have, this place is really expensive." Mina admonishes affectionately as she glances through the menu.

"Only the best for you Minari." Chaeyoung's voice is open and honest and Mina feels something heavy settle in her chest as she looks at the eyes that stare at her longingly. She clears her throat and diverts her gaze back to the menu in hand.

Chaeyoung pays for the food despite her protests, holds the door open for her as they step into the limo she has hired and Mina is pretty sure she is going to ask her out. It makes her nervous, just a little. As they drive past the bungee jump site, Chaeyoung excitedly points out at a boutique. "That must be where Nayeon bought the dress for you. "

Mina's eyebrows frown in confusion so Chaeyoung explains. "I wanted to do something special for you but my dumbass didn't think about getting you a gift. You know Unnie, she's really smart so she picked it up instead."

Mina smiles at Chaeyoung. "It's the thought that counts. I'm touched you wanted me to have a special day and I did have fun last night."

Chaeyoung gives her an endearing smile completely chuffed with herself. Tonight is the night she's finally going to ask Mina to be her girlfriend, she decides. Until Momo crashes her plans again. This time with the help of Tzuyu.

Chaeyoung makes sure that Dahyun, Jeongyeon, Nayeon, Sana and Jihyo are in the home theatre. They've promised to give her the space she needs to execute her plan. Tzuyu and Momo are in the pool. Tzuyu had promised that she's not going to let Momo get drunk.

And Tzuyu sticks to the promise. Everytime Momo grabs a drink, she grabs it from her and finishes it for her.

Chaeyoung lights up the single candle in the living room and sets two plates of food on the coffee table. She pours them some rose wine and plays soft music on the speaker.  
When Mina walks into the living room because she's hungry, she's surprised that Chaeyoung has already made dinner for them. Chaeyoung, the one who burns kitchens down, has actually managed to make dinner.

"Sana and Nayeon helped me make it. " She admits sheepishly.

"Thank you Chaeyoungah. You've been really sweet to me this trip."

Chaeyoung waves her off with a hand. "Anything for you."

The simple sentiment hits Mina hard. She looks away, biting her lips.

"Oh I forgot to get the sauce. Wait here. I'll go get them."

"I'll go with you." Mina gets up because she doesn't want the younger girl slaving around for her again.

Chaeyoung gives her a wide grin and takes her hand in hers.

When they come back to the living room, Chaeyoung gasps because Tzuyu is sitting on the couch, feeding their food to Momo who is refusing to have it.

"I tried stopping her, but she won't listen." Momo explains, giving Chaeyoung a sympathetic glance.

Chaeyoung wants to cry. How do they always find a way to ruin her moment.

"Hey it's okay." Mina squeezes her hand seeing how upset Chaeyoung looks. "We can make dinner again."

"But I made it for you." Chaeyoung pouts.

Mina throws a fond gaze at a drunk Tzuyu and a sober Momo. She looks back at Chaeyoung dotingly. "It's fine. This time we can make it for us."

That gets a smile from Chaeyoung.

\------------------

Chaeyoung thinks her heart is going to explode because she's actually alone with Mina and she's about to ask her to be her girlfriend. Mina stares out at the ocean unaware of the inner turmoil Chaeyoung is going through.

"Mina, you know I wanted to tell you something last night." Chaeyoung begins in a low voice.

Mina turns to her side and looks at the younger girl. She looks nervous, fidgeting with the hoodie she has on. "Yeah?"

Chaeyoung lets out a soft breath and reaches for Mina's hand. "We'll always be friends right?"

Mina thinks it's an absurd question. She adores Chaeyoung, nothing she could do or say is going to change the way she feels about her so she tells her exactly that. It gives Chaeyoung the confidence to get out what's rattling in her chest. "Mina, I think I like.."

The door to the patio opens and draws their attention.

Chaeyoung stares at Jihyo who looks like a baby deer caught in headlights.

"I thought you guys were downstairs."

"Tzuyu and Momo are having their impromptu date there, so we shifted. " Chaeyoung is sure the whole universe is conspiring against her asking Mina out.

Nayeon gives her a sympathetic glance from behind Jihyo.

Mina is glad for the interference because she's not sure she'd be able to handle how hard her heart is beating. She opens the door fully and lets Jihyo, Dahyun, Sana, Nayeon and Jeongyeon enter the patio.

"Unnie, I don't think I can do this." Chaeyoung whines to a quiet Nayeon.

"If you really like her as you say, you should be able to do it." Nayeon takes a sip of her beer.

"You look hot when you do that." Jeongyeon appears from behind them and smirks at Nayeon.

"When I drink my beer?" Nayeon scoffs.

"When you're in your baseball shirt and hat, and drinking beer. It's totally top energy." Jeongyeon winks making her turn a dark shade of pink.

"I thought you're the top type." Nayeon chuckles.

"I can do both."

Chaeyoung wants to slap the two of them. She's about to die of a heartbreak and they're flirting with each other. She sidesteps them and watches Mina who's absorbed in a conversation with Sana, Jihyo and Dahyun. As if sensing someone's eyes on her, Mina turns to look directly in their direction.

They look at each other for a while.

"You should just ask her out. She's already into you." Nayeon's voice close to her ears makes Chaeyoung jump a little.

"How do you know?"

Nayeon shrugs as she takes another long swig of her beer. Mina is still staring in their direction. "I just know Chaeyoungah. She hasn't stopped looking this way."

Chaeyoung turns to look at Mina again who quickly looks away. So Chaeyoung gathers all the courage she has and corners Mina at the end of the night.

Mina's throat feels dry as Chaeyoung takes her hand and brings it to her chest. "Mina, I really really like you."

Mina nods silently, as if asking her to continue.

"I think I might.."

"What the fuck..." They both hear Jeongyeon curse and look at where she's staring.

Tzuyu and Momo are kissing each other under the lights in their car park.

"Did anyone see that coming?" Jihyo chuckles.

"What on earth?" Chaeyoung is gobsmacked. She's too surprised that she even forgets that her moment got ruined.

"I swear our group is gay as fuck." Sana shakes her head throwing a teasing smile at Jeongyeon.

"I feel lonely just looking at them." Dahyun whines.

"I'm going to hit the bed." Nayeon finishes her beer not the least bit interested in any of the drama unfolding around her.

"Nayeon-chan, I think they're drunk. Get them upstairs, please?" A soft touch on Nayeon's arm stops her.

Nayeon looks at Mina and sighs. Of course it's going to be Mina who cares.

When she separates Tzuyu and Momo telling them they can make out when they're sober, they're howling and calling her Anti-Cupid and tells her she's going to be forever alone with this attitude. Nayeon laughs dryly. She already knows she's going to be alone forever.

"So you both kissed each other last night.."

Chaeyoung tells Tzuyu and Momo the next day when they're having breakfast and enjoys seeing them both cough and choke on their food.

Mina bites back a smile because she knows Chaeyoung did that on purpose.

"You're so evil. "

"You love me like that." Chaeyoung smirks and grins and Mina goes quiet.


	7. Chapter 7

They have nothing scheduled for the morning because the girls want to sleep in atleast for day. They have to go the local flee market and carnival in the evening. "Chaeyoungah, Mina loves carnivals. Get her on the ferris wheel and ask her out." Nayeon asserts with the confidence Chaeyoung is lacking.

"I'm scared of heights Unnie."

Nayeon rolls her eyes. "Overcome them because Ferris wheels are romantic."

At least in Mina's eyes. Nayeon has never seen why she thinks so highly of Ferris wheels.

"I'm starting to feel like this romance thing isn't cut out for me." Chaeyoung sulks as she leans against the brick wall in Nayeon's room.

Nayeon looks out at the ocean, the waves are strong and hollow and looks ideal for surfing. It's been a long time since she'd been on a surfboard. Her dad taught her how to surf when she was younger. She remembers how she kept falling and coughing up water the first time she tried to surf and her father asking if she wanted to give up and go home. She recalls standing on her unsteady feet riding her first wave after three hours of trying and failing. She'll never forget the proud look on her father's face that day.

"Good things in life don't come easy Chaeyoungah."

Another perfectly hollowed shape wave crashes close to the shore.

Nayeon is the kind to never give up, she's relentless and ceaseless in her efforts when she wants to get something, but there are certain things unattainable and out of reach even for her. Things that are pointless to even try because you know you're only going to end up hurt. She doesn't tell Chaeyoung that because the younger girl isn't yearning for the stars like her. Chaeyoung is reaching for what's within her grasp. "And you know Mina's a good thing."

Chaeyoung nods her head silently, her converse sneakers makes a light tapping noise on the wooden floor as she worries about how the day is going to go.

"Will you keep that for me?" Mina pleads with her eyes at the shop keeper. Her mind is set on a rare vinyl record of The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It's a boxed set reissue of 1982 and only 5000 copies were handed out. She never thought she'd come across this collector's item in a small store in a flee market in Hawaii. Unfortunately for her, the store keeper doesn't take cards.

"No promises lady." The grumpy old woman scowls.

Mina rushes to find Chaeyoung who always carries change around.

"I'll never understand Mina and your obsession with Vinyls." Dahyun jokes. Nayoen smiles because she's never going to understand. There's something romantic and nostalgic about Vinyls. Even though Nayeon's boom box has all the bass and fine tune, the soothing pleasant sound of a gramophone remains unmatchable.

A particular record catches her eyes. She casts her mind back to a moment in their trainee days when Jeongyeon asked Mina why she likes the Beatles so much and Mina said because she spent most of her summer holidays as a child with her grandmother and they always listened to The Beatles together on the old weary gramophone that laid on the kitchen counter. They sang along to it as they made breakfasts every morning. Mina spoke of the memory fondly but there was a tinge of sadness in her voice. And Nayeon knew even without her telling that her grandmother wasn't around to make those memories anymore.

"I'll take this." She pays for the record and moves along to the next stall.

Chaeyoung looks at Mina worriedly. She has been upset since they left the flee market. They'd spent most of the afternoon in a dingy store looking for some god damn record which Mina is obsessed with and she's completely exhausted by the time they get on the van to reach the carnival.

"Chaeyoungah, what did you do to make my baby penguin so upset?" Jihyo who's sitting right across Chaeyoung and Mina, waves a finger warningly at her.

Chaeyoung sighs. "Don't blame me, you know I'll never hurt her." She puts an arm around Mina who turns to her side and gives a smile that doesn't really reaches her eyes. "She's sad because she can't find some stupid vinyl."

Nayeon who's sitting next to Jeongyeon stares at Chaeyoung, shakes her head disapprovingly and shoots her a look that asks her to shut up.

Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. She hasn't even done anything wrong, she's just confessed that she'll never hurt Mina so why is Nayeon giving her the third degree through her eyes?She ignores Nayeon for the rest of the ride but when Nayeon pulls her to the side at the carnival and hisses in her ears not to fuck things up like she did in the car, Chaeyoung is adorably confused and Nayoen softens a bit. 

"You know she loves Vinyl records, why would you call them stupid?"

Chaeyoung realises the slip of tongue she made. She was tired and grumpy and hadn't meant to take it out on those round old things.

"I didn't know she loved them so much."

Nayeon wants to tell the reason why Mina loves Vinyl so Chaeyoung can understand the weight of the sentiment. But Mina has never spoken about her grandmother passing away to anyone, so she decides it's not her place to tell Chaeyoung. Mina would, when she's ready.

"I'll make it up to her Unnie. Just watch." Chaeyoung asserts confidently. 

\-------------

"Here you are Milady." Jeongyeon thrusts a plush teddy bear that she has won at the carnival and thrusts it into Nayeon's hand. Nayeon tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ears. She's touched that someone thought of her enough to get her something. She leans up a little and lays a kiss on Jeongyeon's waiting cheeks. "Thank you."

"Unnie stop making out with Jeongyeon and come help me." She hears Chaeyoung whine from the next stall. Even though Mina has reassured her many times that it's okay if she doesn't win the penguin toy, Chaeyoung is determined to get the toy because her sharp eyes didn't miss the way Mina's lip curved into a tiny smile when she saw the stuffed animal. Her first real smile of the day.

Nayeon wraps the teddy bear around her neck and walks hand in hand with Jeongyeon to see what has Chaeyoung complaining so much.

"Aim right at the target." She explains to Chaeyoung who misses it by a huge margin again.

"You suck at this Chaeyoungah." Nayeon laughs.

Chaeyoung wants to be mad at her but it's hard to get angry at someone who's wearing a preppy collared looney tunes jumper, ripped blue boyfriend jeans, white converse and has a teddy bear strapped to their neck.

"I'd like to see you try." Chaeyoung shoves the rifle into Nayeon's hand who takes it with a smug grin.

"She's so full of herself." Jeongyeon laughs and whispers to Mina who's watching the interaction with curious eyes. She feels conflicted. If Nayeon hits the target, she'll get the penguin but Chaeyoung is going to be upset. She really wants the stuffed toy but not at the expense of someone's feelings getting hurt.

"Watch and learn from the expert kid." Nayeon pushes Chaeyoung to the side forcefully who yelps and frowns at her.

Two seconds later an old man is screaming for his dear life and Chaeyoung is holding her stomach in fits of laughter because Nayeon has hit the target. Just not the one meant for her.

Her bullet hits the target which is next to hers. The old man startled by the unexpected bullet thinks someone shot him, drops his rifle and runs hollering for help.

Jeongyeon is on the floor gasping for air because she's not sure she can laugh anymore. Nayeon stares at the rifle like she can't believe what just happened and her lips turn into an adorable pout.

"It's okay Nayeon-chan." Mina steps closer to her with a soft teasing smile and pats her arm gently. "At least you didn't miss the target. "

And that sends Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon doubling over in laughter again.

"Do you think she's going to talk to us anytime soon?" Chaeyoung asks as they step into the queue for Ferris wheel. Mina has a baby penguin toy in her arms which Chaeyoung won after another ten minutes of trying. 

Mina looks at where Nayeon, Sana and Tzuyu are eating candy floss. Jeangyeon is staring at Nayeon with puppy dog eyes. "No, I don't think so." Mina laughs because it's actually funny how Nayeon has blanked the three of them ever since the great shooting accident.

The Ferris wheels slowly goes to top and Chaeyoung takes a deep breath because although the height is terrifying, what's truly terrifying is the thought of Mina saying no. She turns to her side to look at Mina. The lights of the night sky illuminates her profile in an enchanting way and it makes her even more nervous.

"Thank you for the stuffed toy Chaeyoungah. " Mina's tone is warm as she looks around at Hawaii in all its glory at night. Her hands are on the baby penguin, caressing it lightly.

Chaeyoung places a hand on top of Mina's and gives her a meaningful look. "I know you're upset because you couldn't find that vinyl. I just wanted to make your day better."

It's a thoughtful gesture, and lately Chaeyoung has been showing more love and affection her way. Mina isn't sure if she's worthy of it. "You're too kind on me. "

Chaeyoung takes the stuffed toy and puts it in between them. She takes both of Mina's hand in hers and Mina doesn't know what to do with the intense eyes boring into hers.  
"Its because I like you Mina. I really really like you."

Tzuyu, Jeongyeon and Sana look up at the scene with bated breath. Nayeons eats the floss unbothered.

"I like you too Chaeyoung." Mina shivers a little.

Chaeyoung shakes her head. "I like you more than as a friend Mina. I don't know when or how these feelings started but I do know they're here." She brings their hand to her chest.

Mina looks at Chaeyoung, her gaze searching into hers.

"Don't say anything now." Chaeyoung whispers. "Go on a date with me. You can decide what you want after that."

Mina lets out a soft breath because she already knows what she's going to say at the end of the date. "Okay."

"Okay?" Chaeyoung's face breaks into a slow smile.

The girls below can't hear what they're saying but their joined hands and Chaeyoung's stupid grin tells them she's finally asked her out and got a yes.

"I'm so proud of her." Sana wipes away an imaginary tear.

"Good for them." Jeongyeon shrugs.

"They'd be cute together." Jihyo cooes.

"Another candy floss please." Nayeon asks the stall owner, still blanking everyone.


	8. Chapter 8

Nayeon looks out the window. The sky is dark and large clouds hangs above them. The rain begins to sprinkle on the car window at first as gentle as a butterfly's kiss and then it becomes a pitter-patter. She sees people running for cover outside as the rain gets stronger and starts pouring down like the floodgates in heaven have been opened. The rain seems to follow her everywhere, just like the demons she carries within her. She casts her eyes towards Jeongyeon and holds her gaze. Jeongyeon realises that Nayeon is not looking at her so much as through her, almost as if her head is transparent. Her elusive eyes are empty tonight and it bothers Jeongyeon a little.

"It's the thoughts that keep you at nights that scares you the most." Jeongyeon tells Nayeon. They're home and laying on the reclining chairs which are slightly wet from the earlier downpour. The sky has cleared up enough to reveal a starlit night.

Nayeon looks at her puzzled. She locks her eyes with Jeongyeon and tilts her head to the side.

"I have them, everyone has them. It's okay to be vulnerable." Jeongyeon moves around her chair to sit next to Nayeon and squeezes her hands. "You don't have to be strong all the time. You know that right?" Her question is loaded and Nayeon lets out a soft sigh.

"You worry too much about me. I'm fine." She lies back, counting the stars with her eyes hoping Jeongyeon would give this line of conversation a rest.

Jeongyeon gives her hand another gentle squeeze. "When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me." Jeongyeon sees the older girl carefully school her expression into a blank stare but the starlit sky shows the flicker of pain in her dark brown eyes.

Nayeon wishes for a sky without stars for the first time in her life.

"Where's Nayeon and Jeongyeon? I'm about to start the film." Jihyo looks around the room. They have planned to watch Train to Busan because they're all too tired for any other activity after a long day of walking and wandering around the market and carnival.

"I saw them making out in the patio about five minutes ago." Chaeyoung laughs as she puts an arm around Mina. Mina tenses a little and Chaeyoung wonders if she should remove her arm. Maybe its too much too soon after asking her out on a date? But she eventually relaxes so Chaeyoung just leaves it there.

"We weren't making out, we were holding hands." Jeongyeon smacks the back of her head as she appears behind them. "Move your fat ass."

"I'm not sitting with you." Chaeyoung scowls.

"Fine, I'm sitting on you." She plops down on Chaeyoung's lap who whines and tries to push her away.

Nayeon sits on a pillow on the carpet by Mina's feet. She's not ready to fight with anybody for a seat and she's too tired to fetch a chair from the living room.

"Children, behave." Jihyo warns and Jeongyeon reluctantly moves from Chaeyoung's lap to sit on the floor by her feet next to Nayeon. Once the film starts Chaeyoung kicks her every once in a while gently pretending to be scared and Jeongyeon gives her the finger.

Nayeon's eyes grow heavy from the strenuous activities of the day and she leans slightly backwards to rest on the couch. Mina takes her legs off the floor to give her enough space to rest and folds her leg sidewards on the couch.

"You shouldn't have done that." Chaeyoung whispers closely in her ears and Mina jumps a little.

"Why?" She gets her answer ten minutes later when she finds Nayeon turned slightly to her side, one of her shoulder resting against the couch, her face nestled in the edge of the cushion by Mina's feet and fast asleep. She looks years younger as she sleeps there, like a child even and Mina has to resist the urge to run her fingers through her hair afraid she'll wake her up.

Jeongyeon pulls out her phone and takes a picture but the flash makes Nayeon stir. Chaeyoung shakes her head at her disapprovingly. Jeongyeon gives her an apologetic smile.

"I was just resting my eyes." Nayeon tells Jeongyeon who's staring at her with a grin. Jeongyeon grins wider. Nayeon turns to look at the screen, leaning back against the couch and drawing her knees to her chest. Two minutes later she's sleeping again despite the deafening noise the zombies on the screen is making.

"Should we just leave her alone here?" The girls gather round a sleeping Nayeon after the film is done.

Momo looks at Dahyun like she's crazy. "No, I'm going to grab my blanket and pillows and going to sleep on the carpet with her."

"That sounds like fun. Maybe we can watch another film. I'll get my blankets as well." Tzuyu professes.

It starts a chain reaction of sorts because when Nayeon wakes up next morning covered by her blanket, Momo's hand is wrapped around her middle and Tzuyu is spooning Momo. Sana's leg is carelessly thrown over Nayeon's body and Dahyun is laying half on top of Sana. Below them Jihyo is sleeping with her back turned away from their feet facing the screen and she's holding Jeongyeon who's sleeping next to the screen. Mina's head is right above Nayeon's, her hair gently falling all over Nayeon's face and one of her hand lingers on Nayeon's chest. Chaeyoung is cuddled up next to her.

She can't believe she dozed off in their home theater, but she is grateful for how she wakes up. Surrounded by the girls, she feels lighter for the first time in a long while. She goes to move Mina's hand that's over heart but changes her mind because it calms her, so she lays her hand over hers and goes back to sleep.

Jeongyeon wakes up after a while and snaps the picture perfect moment of all the girls huddled together on her phone.

\---------------------------

"It's our fifth day here already." Dahyun moans, the days pass by them too quickly for her liking. Then they'll have to be back in showbiz under the constant click of cameras. She loves her fans but the endless days and never ending work tires her out sometimes.

"Don't remind me. What are we doing today other than the scheduled lunch at the seafood restaurant?" Sana prods as she grabs another croissant from the breakfast table.

"I promised to take Momo for zip lining after lunch. Anybody wants to join?" Tzuyu speaks while chewing and Momo taps her head slightly signalling her to shut her mouth.

Everybody declines. Only Tzuyu and Momo would be up for zip lining right after eating.

"I'm going to see the coral reefs with Jeongyeon." Jihyo shrugs. Sana and Dahyun agrees to go with them too.

"What are you doing Chaeyoungah?" Momo diverts her gaze to the younger girl who's leaning on Mina. Chaeyoung's voice is unusually shy. "I'm taking Mina out on our date."

"Oooh, where are you guys going?" Jihyo's voice is eager.

"Its a surprise. I have the perfect evening planned for her." Chaeyoung bumps her shoulders with Mina who's gone awfully quiet.

"Look at Mina all quiet and shy. It's cute." Jeongyeon says wryly.

"Lay off them." Jihyo smacks her arm and turns to her side to look at Nayeon who is playing with her food and hasn't uttered a word yet. "What are you doing?"

She blinks as if in surprise, like she's waking from a dream. "Huh?!"

"Did you not hear a word we said?" Jeongyeon's eyebrows slant in confusion.

Nayeon looks around the kitchen startled. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

Jeongyeon feels her heart squeeze a little. She misses the girl who slept peacefully last night, with all the weight she usually carries around off her shoulders.

"Sweetheart," Jeongyeon uses a term of endearment her mother used to call her when she was a child. "What are you doing after lunch? Do you want to go with us to see the corals?"

Nayeon bites her lips as a pensive look comes upon her face. She shakes her head after a while. "I think I'll go surfing. It's been a long time. "

"Have fun Unnie." Chaeyoung raises her glass of orange juice in toast.

"Don't have too much fun without us though." Momo pouts.

Mina's eyes settle on Nayeon for a fleeting second. Her voice is low, laced with warmth and concern. "You'll be safe. Right?!!"

Nayeon nods quietly as their eyes meet across the table for a moment. She turns to look at her side to the window. The ocean looks calm, contradicting the state of her mind. She doesn't feel safe in the company of her thoughts. She feels safer in the sea. Waves don't scare her as much as her feelings does.

Chaeyoung watches Mina fondly as she excitedly waves at the pandas. She snaps a picture and mentally thanks Nayeon for this moment.

"Chaeyoungah, take her to the zoo first. She'd love the pandas. And then you're taking her to the water park. Don't forget to pack her swimsuit and change of clothes for her. Take her to an ice cream parlour at the end of the night. Don't take a taxi, take the bus to the stop nearest to the villa and walk her home after that. It's going to rain tonight so take an umbrella."

When Chaeyoung tells her that the date doesn't sound very romantic, it's a bit childish, Nayeon waves her off with confidence.

"She didn't get to enjoy the simple things we did in our childhood Chaeyoungah."

Nayeon has seen the sad smile too many times on Mina's face when other members talked about their childhood. She knows Mina was trained to be a musician from an early age and even though she absolutely loves being a singer, she also misses having a regular childhood.

Chaeyoung thinks Nayeon could make millions being a professional mind reader. Because Mina is squealing and jumping into her arms giving her a tight hug when they arrive at the water slides. After spending hours on the slides, playing in the water, sliding down the scariest rides, laughing with Chaeyoung and completely enjoying herself Mina reluctantly leaves the park when they announce that it's nearly closing time.

Mina flashes an endearing smile when Chaeyoung takes her to the ice cream parlour. She looks adorable confused at all the different flavours available, she literally looks like a child in an icecream shop. Chaeyoung chuckles when Mina ends up putting at least ten of the flavors on her cone. It's fun to watch her try and eat it, because the ice cream keeps running down her hands but Mina is having fun and Chaeyoung's heart is melting as fast the ice cream in those delicate hands.

They wear hats and scarves and ride the bus and Mina swings along the poles like a little girl in the almost empty night bus. When they reach their stop, it begins to rain. When Chaeyoung takes an umbrella from her backpack and walks Mina to the villa, Mina is completely astounded. She's too overwhelmed to speak. She doesn't know how to thank the younger girl for the beautiful day. So she takes Chaeyoung's hand in hers and squeezes it gently.

Chaeyoung doesn't let go even after they reach the house.


	9. Chapter 9

Chaeyoung's eyes caresses her with love and fondness as they stand on the porch of the villa.

"Chaeyoungah.." The younger girl cuts her off by pressing a finger to her lips. "Whatever decision you've made, tell me tomorrow. Let's leave this day as perfect as it is."

Mina's heart stopping eyes implores her earnestly. "If that's what you want. Thank you for today, Chaeyoungah." She leans a little closer and lays a fluttering kiss on Chaeyoung's cheek.

Chaeyoung is pretty sure about the answer she's going to get the next day. When they walk into the house, Momo and Sana are chasing Nayeon around the kitchen counter.

"Are they drunk?" Chaeyoung asks Tzuyu as she shoots them a confused glance.

"Nope." She points a finger to where Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Dahyun are sitting, panting for air. "They've given up trying to catch her. So Momo and Sana are trying now."

Chaeyoung scratches her neck. "Why?"

"She has a bad gash on her right hand, rode a really strong wave and somehow cut herself on some debris that was floating near the shore." Tzuyu explains, "That's why the chase." Only then Chaeyoung notices Nayeon has her hand shoved in her hoodie pocket and there's a huge wet stain on it which is probably blood but the hoodie is black so she isn't sure.

"Leave me alone, I'm okay." Nayeon quickly side steps Sana again who stumbles and falls to the floor. Momo tries to grab her from behind but Nayeon is quick on her feet, slips right through her arms and jumps over the kitchen counter to the other side.

"God, she's swift. It's like trying to catch Jackie Chan." Dahyun whines still gasping for air, wondering where the older girl gets the infinite amount of energy from. Neyeon twirls around and dodges Chaeyoung who's joined the chase only to come to a dead stop when Mina steps right in front of her, her deep set brown eyes beneath perfectly arched eyebrows gleaming with something akin to disapproval and dissatisfaction.

That's enough to make Nayeon stop in her tracks because she feels guilty for some reason. She is used to receiving this look from Jihyo but this is probably the first time Mina has been disappointed in her. Momo and Sana use this moment to catch her.

Nayeon sits down on the chair huffing slightly. Sana takes her hand out of her pocket and Nayeon hears Momo curse and Mina gasp at what they see. She doesn't want to see it, it has to be bad if it's making them react this way and blood makes her really queasy.

"Nayeonnie, can you sit still for a second?" Momo holds the fidgeting girl's arms from the back as Sana begins to apply betadine. The smell of it makes Nayeon slightly anxious and she begins to tap her feet loudly on the wooden floor.

"You said you were going to be careful." Mina's gentle voice resonates through the room.

Nayeon stares at the floor, looking small and broken, it makes even Chaeyoung wants to pick her up and hold her. "I'm sorry." Nayeon mutters and closes her eyes shut as a searing pain cuts through her when Sana dabs at her wound.

Mina lets out a soft sigh, drops to the seat in front of the older girl and takes Nayeon's other hand between hers, often reassuring her it's going to be okay and they're almost done.

It feels like a lifetime before they're finally done.

Even through the bandage the blood still seeps.

"Don't make us chase you again. We'll have to change the dressing in like an hour because the bleeding hasn't stopped." Sana warns her. Even though Nayeon promises not to disappear nobody really believes her, so they put Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung on security duty next to her and rush to make a quick dinner.

"They're so adorable together." Chaeyoung smiles widely when she sees Jeongyeon feed Nayeon as her good hand is injured. She glances to her side at Mina who has her eyes lowered and fixed on the plate.

The moment Jeongyeon steps away from the table, Chaeyoung throws Nayeon a teasing grin and whispers a little too loudly. "I still haven't helped you ask Jeongyeon out."

Nayeon's eyes harden and she hisses in a low voice. "What have I told you about embarrassing me in public?"

"Everyone knows Nayeon." The girls at the table chorus making Nayeon flush except Mina who is too preoccupied with her food.

Later that night, when Mina's by the pool sipping on a mocktail, Jeongyeon approaches her cautiously.

"Don't break her heart. Whatever decision you make, don't break it!!" Jeongyeon acts tough but Mina has always known she's a big softy inside.

She kisses her goodnight on the cheek and walks to her room leaving Mina alone with her thoughts. The sky is overcast and she's sure it's going to rain anytime soon. Just as the thought occupies her head, the rain drops begin to caress her skin gently. She shuts the door to the patio and her pained eyes glances into the rainy night. Outside it's dark and gloomy, inside she feels the same.

"You've taken my spot." Nayeon's velvety voice snaps her out of her thoughts. "Something on your mind?"

Mina sighs softly. "Something, everything."

"Chaeyoung."

It's not a question. It's a statement of understanding and Mina is grateful for that. Because there are a hundred questions rattling around in her head and she doesn't need any more of them.

Mina glances sideways to Nayeon who's touching the glass, tracing the rain drops which are making their own intricate but delightful patterns on the window.

"Everyone thinks I should date her." Mina reverts her eyes back to the ocean. "Forget thinks, everyone wants me to date her. "

"If everyone wants it, it could be the right thing to do." Nayeon blows hot air onto the glass and draws a tick on it. The childlike action makes Mina smile a little. She pulls in another lungful of air as she turns to her side to properly look at Nayeon. 

Her lashes sweeps up to meet the elusive dark eyes and implores her with a penetrating gaze. She breathes out, "What do you want Nayeon-chan?"

Nayeon blinks and her eyes move away to watch the waves crashing. Her shoulders rise in a lazy shrug. "I want what everyone wants as well."

The younger girl leans on the glass and glances towards where Nayeon is looking. The ocean rumbles and tumbles, the waves breaking really strong and hard near the shore.

"But what really matters is, what you want Mina."

"What if what you want and what's best for you are two different things?"

"You'll just have to listen to your heart and you'll know."

Mina sees the waves getting stronger with every passing second, like a storm is about to to hit.

"Like you know with Jeongyeon?" She asks, whispering it like a prayer.

Nayeon flushes a little.

"Something like that." She mutters.

Mina nods.

Another wave crashes loudly in the distance.

\-----------

Mina's heart breaks in her chest as she sees Chaeyoung's eyes get glassy. The last thing she wants to do is hurt someone she loves. "Chaeyoungah. Please, talk to me." Mina tries to reach for her hand but Chaeyoung shakes her head and she stops midway.

"I'll be fine Mina. Don't worry about me."

Mina hates herself a little as she watches the younger girl walk away from her, her shoulders sagging like she's carrying an invisible burden on them.

Chaeyoung wonders how she reached the shore. She is pretty dazed and confused. Her heart aches like something is gnawing at her chest, tearing it's way to her trembling heart. It threatens to eat her alive and leave only scraps behind. She feels a hand on her shoulder. She glances sideward and her glance meet Nayeon's understanding eyes. 

Nayeon knows something went wrong the moment she saw Chaeyoung take off the house, wiping her eyes on her sleeves.

"She said no. Why did she have to say no?" Sobs that's been wreaking havoc inside Chaeyoung's chest releases as she sags against the older girl who has pulled her into a hug."Am I not worthy of being loved?"

Nayeon doesn't know how to comfort her. Because she knows first hand how it feels like to have love not reciprocated. She holds her tighter until she feels the sobs die down into soft gasps.

"I'm not giving up on a chance for love. I'm going to fight for us." Chaeyoung says with determination when she finally calms down . Nayeon kisses the top of her head.

Chaeyoung repeats Mina's words to her.

"You're an amazing person and I love you so much but you're my friend Chaeyoung. That's how I always want it to be. Anything else might ruin what we have."

"I think she's terrified that if things don't work out between us, our friendship is going to get ruined. I just need to show her that it's not going to go wrong."

Nayeon doesn't know what to say to that. The younger girl is already hurting but she doesn't want her to have false hopes either. She hugs her closer.

"I will fight for her." Her voice cracks a little and Nayeon's heart breaks a little as well.

Nayeon lays another kiss on her head as she holds Chaeyoung tighter.

An awkward silence looms in the van as the girls travel to their destination for the day. Chaeyoung for the first time sits across Mina and not beside her. Mina wants to reach out to her but she knows she has to give the space the younger girl would want right now. Her gaze often lingers on Chaeyoung who is just staring out the window.

"I don't understand why you said no. It's obvious you both get along great. Is it because she's a girl?" Dahyun inquires the Japanese girl who looks like she's about to break anytime. Mina laughs dryly. She has an alcoholic drink in her hand, an indulgence she doesn't often take part in. She winces when the strong drink burns down her throat, but she thinks she deserves a little pain. "I'm not that narrow minded Dahyun."

That's all she says and Dahyun realises that's all she's going to get.

They're in a club and they've just finished recording for the fans. Mina pretends to enjoy herself. Chaeyoung forces a smile on her face. Jihyo, Sana and Dahyun act professional. Tzuyu never leaves Jeongyeon's side. Nayeon and Momo are their usual cheerful selves.

Things seems perfect under the watchful lens of the camera, but Mina knows the dynamics of the band have changed and shifted for the worse and she's solely responsible for it. The guilt slowly eats her up from inside.

"Are you here to tell me how selfish I am as well?" The other band mates haven't said that directly, but Mina is smart enough to read between the lines. She understands the implied.

Jeongyeon shrugs her shoulder as she sits by her side on the couch in the living room of their villa. "Were you thinking about yourself when you made the decision?"

Mina shakes her head in negative. "I was thinking about Chaeyoung. She deserves someone who's ready to give their whole heart to her."

"And why can't you be that one?"

"Because I can't give something that's broken." Her voice cracks.

Jeongyeon pulls her into a hug and kisses the top of her head. The younger girl's tears roll down the front of her shirt but she doesn't care. "Then there's your answer. You aren't selfish."

The words comforts Mina a little even though she believes in the contrary.


	10. Chapter 10

And on the seventh day God rested after his work was done.

She's not religious but that's her first waking thought as she decides she doesn't like being this unhappy. She's Chaeyoung, she's a fighter, she doesn't sulk or give up on things mid way. She needs to give a rest to her negative thoughts and go after what she wants. Mina's face is priceless when Chaeyoung smiles hesitantly at her and says good morning. The girls in the living room are shocked as well but they're just relieved that they're going to get past this small bump in their way. It's a glimmer of hope that they all desperately need.

"What's the plan for today?" Chaeyoung grabs the bowl of cereal Jeongyeon is having and makes it hers.

Jeongyeon rolls her eyes and goes to make another one for herself.

"There's a rock climbing activity our management has booked in the afternoon. Get it recorded and after that we can do whatever you all like." Jihyo announces cheerfully.

"Lets go shopping!" Sana claps her hand.

"We do tons of that back home." Dahyun waves the idea away.

"Can we go trekking please?" Momo pleads with her puppy eyes.

"Rock climbing and then trekking? Are you mad? We'd be exhausted." Tzuyu exclaims but she immediately regrets it when Momo's face falls.

Dahyun grins at them and whispers to Nayeon who's quietly eating a croissant by her side. "Watch her agree to it in like three seconds."

Nayeon starts a mental countdown. Tzuyu agrees in two and she grins back at Dahyun. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung prepare the sandwiches and sort the drinks for their hiking. Mina helps them as they buzz around the kitchen. Things are still awkward between Chaeyoung and her, but it isn't as uncomfortable as the day before. They try to make small talk here and there.

"I think we need to make a ham sandwich as well, Sana doesn't like tuna much." Mina states softly to Chaeyoung. Her voice is really quiet, as if she'd break if she spoke any louder. Chaeyoung turns to her side and glances at the girl who's cutting the vegetables. When their eyes meet, she recognizes the pain in them for the first time. Her heart aches a little.

"Come here." Her voice is soft and gentle as she extends a hand.

Mina hesitantly steps closer to her, her eyes pooling with tears. When Chaeyoung takes her in an unexpected hug, the dam breaks.

"We're going to be ok." Chaeyoung says over and over again until she feels the girl relax in her arms.

The girls who come back to the living room after packing, release a collective sigh of relief at what they see.

Nayeon's eyes widen as she glances at the rock climbing wall. "I can't climb. I'm handicapped." She whines like a baby making Momo giggle.

"Don't be a drama queen. It only bled a lot because it's a glass cut, but the wound has closed. A little climbing won't hurt." Jeongyeon's eyes roll up skywards. When Nayeon's hand begins to bleed a little again after the rock climbing she feels a tad guilty for what she said earlier. So she offers to carry Nayeon's backpack as well when they go trekking. Nayeon has a chuffed grin on her face.

"My legs are hurting. Do you think you can give me a piggy back ride?" She exaggerates.

Jeongyeon's face turn into a scowl as she elbows the girl by her side and says warningly, "Don't push it."

"Hey that's not the way to treat a handicapped person." Nayeon rubs her side tenderly.

Chaeyoung who's walking with Mina and Dahyun, falls back for this conversation and nudges Nayoen hard making her stumble. "Unnie, you're only handicapped here." She points to her head.

Ten seconds later, Mina smiles for the first time in two days when she sees a terrified Chaeyoung speed past her screaming murder as Nayeon chases her hot on her heels, threatening to reassemble her face when she finally lays her hand upon her.

"Immature kids." Dahyun says in a doting voice as she eyes the pair running up the hill. "But that's why we love them I guess."

Mina couldn't agree more.

\------------------

Chaeyoung is sure she's going to find places to dispose off Jeongyeon's body if she continues to annoy her like this. But a part of her also knows she'd miss her annoying arse the moment she buries her. "Why do you always sit on me?" She tries to push her away but Jeongyeon just settles down more comfortably.

Jihyo turns to the both of them and shushes them loudly. Chaeyoung gives up hope of getting the girl off her so she leans to the side a little to watch the film they've put on in their television in the living room. Her shoulders grazes Mina's and she feels her tense a little. She goes to lean away but stops when Mina loops her arm around hers and rests her face on her shoulder.

"You're going to scare Momo if you keep grinning like that." Jeongyeon whispers in Chaeyoung's ears and whines loudly when she pinches her side.

"Can we watch a film once without you two bickering?" Tzuyu is quickly losing patience. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung always find something to argue about. She doesn't know why they love winding up each other.

"Where's Nayeon?" Sana'a eyes search the room.

"Retired to bed early because she said and I quote 'handicap rights bish' " Dahyun states and the girls break into fits of laughter because Nayeon can be really quirky and adorable sometimes.

"Can someone grab the boom box from her cupboard? The speaker on this television suck." Jihyo asks as she is too tired to move.

Mina sighs when all the eyes in the room turn to look at her. They all know she's the only one who's not going to say no.

She steps quietly into Nayeon's room and turns the lights on. She pauses mid step when Nayeon stirs a little and holds a bated breath. She smiles when Nayeon mumbles something incoherent in her sleep and turns to sleep on her stomach. The door to the wooden cupboard opens making a soft creaking sound and Mina looks over her shoulder to make sure that it hasn't woken up the sleeping girl on the bed.

She sees a white box and grabs it assuming the boom box is in there. The box is surprisingly light. She frowns to herself as she tilts her head and looks at the box. Her heart clenches painfully in her chest as she looks at the words that's written on the box.

OPERATION MICHAENG

She opens it with trembling hands. Inside the box, there are notes and plans perfectly listed in Nayeon's handwriting about all the dates Chaeyoung and she has had. There are even lines, lines that she thought were honest and tugged at her heart scribbled neatly across the papers. Her eyes squeeze shut as she lets a hundred questions wreck havoc in her.

Did Chaeyoung fake liking her? Did she fake being hurt by the rejection? Was she a fool for how guilty she felt for hurting the girl? What kind of sick joke is this? The web of lies surrounds her, threatening to strangle her, suck out all the breath in her body. The reality slaps her across the face. She had only been a game, a challenge to someone she loved with all her heart.

Her world topples over knocking her off balance. Everything around her fades as she feels dizzy. She leans a hand on the cupboard to steady herself.

The box drops from her hand making a soft thud on the wooden floor.

"Mina."

Nayeon wakes up to see the girl standing in her room, eyes closed, lips quivering, hands shaking by her side. She sees the notes that's spread on the floor fluttering in the gentle breeze that's coming through the open window.

"Did Chaeyoung ask you to do this?" Mina's voice is low and shaky as her eyes blink back the tears. She looks pained, miserable and Nayoen tries to take a step towards the girl.

The younger girl lifts her hand and shakes her head.

Nayeon stops.

"It's not what you think." She begins weakly.

"Explain walk her home after the date, kiss her at the door." Her voice is calm and controlled, but her tone is full of anguish. "She'll definitely kiss you back. You know Momo was only joking when she called me a whore, turns out you really believed it!"

Nayeon winces at the words that cut her like a knife. She hangs her head. There's nothing she could say to defend herself.

"Did you have fun psychoanalyzing me?" Her voice cracks as she muffles a sob. Tears roll down her beautiful face. "I never thought Chaeyoung could do this. Not after what she saw me go through with my anxiety."

"It isn't Chaeyoung. This is all me."

Mina diverts her gaze to look at the distant clouds and lets out a pained laugh. "Of course, it's all you."

Nayeon doesn't know how to respond to that. She watches as Mina quietly leaves the room, not sparing another word to her. She drops to the bed and hates herself a little for the pain she has caused. At the mess she has created for Chaeyoung.


	11. Chapter 11

Chaeyoung kicks the curb and flinches when her foot connects with the hard stone. She's tried approaching Mina in the morning hoping she had calmed down but the cool stare she fixes her with is enough to make her freeze in her track and she gives up trying to talk to the girl after that.

"Why would you keep the receipts?" She paces back and forth, making Nayeon even more dizzy.

Nayeon sighs. She knows she has fucked things up for Chaeyoung and hurt Mina as well. Her shoulders droop and she lets out a deep breath.

"It's like you went out of your way to sabotage what we have because you want people to be miserable like you."

The words punches her in the gut. Her throat constricts with pain. She lets Chaeyoung continue, because she knows she deserves this and worse.

"Chaeyoungah. Watch what you say!" Jeongyeon warns. Nayeon lays a hand on top of her as if to stop her.

"Oh brilliant. You both get your happy ending and I have to be lonely. I get it." Chaeyoung yells irrationally looking at their joined hands.

"Are you forgetting every single thing she has done for you?" Jeongyeon shrugs away Nayeon's hand and steps threateningly closer to Chaeyoung. "You dragged her into this mess. She didn't even wanted to be a part of your kdrama remember? She still saved your arse by telling Mina you had nothing to do with this."

"Saved me?" Chaeyoung laughs dryly. "Mina isn't even talking to me anymore. Just as things were beginning to get okay between us. She ruined my chance at true love."

Jeongyeon shoves her with a hand to her chest. "You're so obsessed with the idea of being in love Chaeyoungah. You've created this whole fairytale scenario in your head with Mina that you'd be too blind to see even if true love is right in front of you."

Chaeyoung shoves her back. "Oh I see clearly. I see someone I considered my best friend suddenly taking her lover's side."

Jeongyeon wants to slap the stupid out of Chaeyoung but she knows she has had her heart broken twice in the span of three days and that's why she's acting out of character.

"I hate you so much right now." Chaeyoung sobs staring at Nayeon.

Nayeon nods her head like she deserves nothing less.

Jihyo is exhausted when they take part in the activities for the day. They go jet skiing and record themselves doing it. They're laughing and giggling, but she's tired of pretending things are okay when it's clearly not.

They play a game of mafia on the beach afterwards and when Chaeyoung points at Nayeon and tells she's the mafia because she is dangerous and likes to destroy things, all with a smile on her face like she's joking, Nayeon takes it quietly with a smile plastered across her face for the camera's benefit. She doesn't even bother defending herself. Mina doesn't say much throughout the shoot, nodding her head and pointing fingers randomly when she's asked who she thinks is the mafia.

Jihyo knows the three people she cares about a lot are hurting but she doesn't know what to do about it. Sana sees the gloomy look on her face and squeezes her hand gently. Jihyo manages another fake smile at the camera.

Mina stares at the ocean as the gentle breeze of the night caresses her face. There's a fury in the waves, it's chaotic and reflects the state of her mind.

"You know we come to places that reminds us of someone we want to feel closer to." Sana looks around at the spot Chaeyoung and Mina had their dinner not so long ago.

Mina doesn't reply. They stand in companionable silence for a while.

"You miss her, don't you?" She sits on the sand and pulls Mina gently beside her who shows absolutely no resistance. "I get it you're mad at Chaeyoung, you feel like you've been lied to, you feel like they schemed behind your back. But think about this using your head and not your heart for a second."

Mina still doesn't say anything but she doesn't stop her either. Sana takes that as a cue to continue.

"When Chaeyoung said she'll help Nayeon ask Jeongyeon out, we were there. We all thought it was cute how she's willing to help Nayeon."

Mina looks up at the sky. The clouds begin to clear overhead and the moon peeks out from behind them.

"How's it fair of us to think it's cute when she offers to help Nayeon but it's suddenly wrong when she gets help to confess how she feels about you?"

Mina knows she's reacted too strongly and maybe Sana is right and Chaeyoung doesn't deserve the treatment she's giving her.

She feels like her heart and mind are at a constant battle between themselves. A part of her wants to forgive and move on but another part of her is yelling at her for being a fool. She's always been indecisive and for once she wishes someone else could make the decision for her.

She turns to Sana and looks at her pleadingly. "I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do."

"I can't make the decision for you. But don't let your emotions cloud your judgement."

So she follows the advice next day.

\--------------

"Can we talk?"

Chaeyoung who's about to take a sip of her orange juice stops mid air and gapes at her with her mouth parted slightly and it actually makes Mina want to smile a little. They walk to the terrace side by side, away from the curious eyes of their band mates, a deafening silence hanging between them. Chaeyoung fidgets on her feet as she looks at Mina who's yet to say a word.

Mina finally looks at her after a painful moment and locks eyes with her. "Did you do this because it was some sort of game to you?"

Chaeyoung smiles sadly. "How could you think that after all these years between us Mina? You're too special for me and that's exactly why I didn't want to fuck up asking you out and got help from Nayeon."

"Okay."

Chaeyoung scratches her head as she looks at Mina. "Okay?"

"I don't like things awkward between us. I don't like making things awkward for others as well. If we want to move on, we need to fix this. We need to fix us!"

Chaeyoung nods in understanding.

"I'm not saying we can go back to how we were immediately, but I'm willing to try again."

Chaeyoung's face breaks into a small grin. She wants to fix their friendship as well.

"So friends?" Mina offers a tentative hand and Chaeyoung takes it, the smile on her face hesitant but growing wider by second.

"Friends."

When they go back to join the other girls in the living room and Chaeyoung points her thumbs up at Jihyo, Jihyo finally lets out a much needed sigh of relief. Jeongyeon shoves herself between Nayeon and Momo as they spend their last day on the island in a haunted house of all places. She hates the dark and she hates how the camera is going to capture all of it. Before them Chaeyoung is holding a terrified Mina in her arms, whispering words of comfort in her ears. Next to them, Sana walks, her hand tightly gripping one of Mina's between them.

Ahead of the trio, Dahyun, Tzuyu and Jihyo walk like they're taking a stroll in the park with their no fucks given attitude. It scares the crew working in the haunted house.

"Who's a scared little baby?!!" Nayeon pokes Jeongyeon's side and teases her relentlessly whenever she jumps at something that suddenly pops out.

Sometimes later, Jeongyeon is having the last laugh when a man suddenly comes out of a cage with a chainsaw in his hand and Nayeon runs past all of them, screaming like her head caught on fire.

"Is she trying for Olympics?" Jihyo wonders.

Tzuyu glances at the girl who's running about sixty miles per hour. "I'd never put anything past her!"

In the evening, they shoot a food fight and when Chaeyoung throws tomatoes at Nayeon, Nayeon doesn't even flinch. She laughs and chases Chaeyoung around but doesn't get back at her. She knows from the force it hit her face she's still a long way from being forgiven by the younger girl. She still smiles because she has caused enough heartache for all her bandmates and doesn't want to upset them even more.

Mina doesn't talk to her. Not like they used to talk to each other a lot before, but Nayeon misses the way Mina sometimes calls her Nayeon-chan in her soft voice. Nayeon knows even if Chaeyoung gets around to forgiving her, Mina would never. There are certain things she has to accept and live with. This is going to be one of them.

"An egg incoming." Chaeyoung aims it at her and when it cracks on her head, Nayeon laughs hiding the crack in her heart. To the other oblivious bandmates they're back to their immature playful selves, but not to Jeongyeon's observant eyes. Her heart aches for Nayeon as she runs around the beach chasing Chaeyoung, faking a laugh. Her eyes tells of the pain that she's hidden well from others.

"Lay off her Chaeyoungah." She drags the younger girl to an empty spot in the house. "She doesn't deserve any of this. Not Mina treating like she is non existent, not you treating her like she's your personal punchbag."

"Why do you care so much?" Chaeyoung pushes her away. "Oh wait, she's your girlfriend right?"

Jeongyeon hates when Chaeyoung gets like this. "She's my friend just like she's yours. Maybe you should try to remember that sometime."

Chaeyoung has the decency to look chastised but she's too proud to admit Jeongyeon is right. "She's not my friend anymore."

Jeongyeon sighs.

The next morning, when Nayeon struggles to pour herself a cup of hot chocolate with her one good hand, Chaeyoung bumps into her making her spill it all over the kitchen counter. "Ah Unnie, you should have asked for help. Now I'll have to clean the mess you made." She smiles sweetly but Nayeon understands the words for its true meaning.

"It's ok Chaeyoungah. It's a mess I made, its only right I clean it." She smiles but it doesn't really reach her eyes. She takes the kitchen towel from Chaeyoung and quietly begins to wipe the counter with her good hand.

Mina who's been watching them through the corner of her eyes feels a weight press on her chest.

Feelings really had a way of destroying good things.


	12. Chapter 12

Their flight is scheduled to leave in the evening. The girls have finished packing and decide to go for a swim in the ocean as the waves are calmer that day. "Where's Nayeon?" Jihyo asks. She feels like she's been asking that a lot lately.

Tzuyu grabs her beach bag and hangs it over her shoulder. "Went for a walk."

Jihyo doesn't question it. Nayeon is a cheerful person but she knows the girl wanders off alone sometimes as if to recharge her batteries. When they get to the beach, Momo points at the distance and bounces excitedly on her feet. "Nayeon-chan is over there, look."

"Where?" Chaeyoung asks completely uninterested.

"At your date spot." Momo declares loudly. Chaeyoung flushes a little and looks to her side to see if Mina is uncomfortable with what Momo said. She doesn't look too bothered.

"I'd like to be inside her head when she stares off into space like that." Tzuyu exclaims, repeating the sentiment from last night.

"Be careful what you wish for." Jeongyeon's tone is loaded, tinged with a little sadness.

Mina chances a glance at where Nayeon is. Her eyes are fixed on the waves gently brushing up the shore. Even though the girls are being loud, she looks deep in her thoughts to notice what's going on around her. So when an excited Momo jumps on top of her, she looks startled like she was woken up from a deep slumber but breaks into a smile when she sees Momo.

"I packed your swimsuit as well." Tzuyu drops the bag next to Nayeon who utters a quiet thanks.

Mina looks at the fairy lights hanging from the trees that brings back memories she's desperately running away from. She smiles a little when she sees Tzuyu and Sana falling off the surfboard and flapping around in the water. Nayeon has been patiently teaching them for a while now but they still aren't getting any better.

"Do you want to go for a swim?" Chaeyoung asks, as she joins her side on the mat. It's a warm sunny day, the skies are clear and blue and Mina thinks why not. She takes off her t shirt and removes the sarong she's wrapped around her waist. She blushes a little when she sees Chaeyoung eye her body not so discreetly. She usually goes for modest one piece swimsuits because she's never been confident about her body. She somehow misplaced it for the trip and ended up buying a two piece from a local store on their first day in Hawaii. Small shops unfortunately don't have a lot to select from.

If Chaeyoung could read what's going through Mina's head she would disagree and call it a fortunate turn of events because the girl is an absolute work of art and she has a hard time keeping her eyes to herself.

"Close your mouth. You're going to catch flies." Jihyo teases Chaeyoung when Mina emerges from the water like she is in the center page of a magazine.

"Some kind of expert you are." Tzuyu laughs loudly and Jihyo turns to look at them. She joins in the laughter when she sees Nayeon has fallen off her surfboard this time.

They take a sunbath lazing under the afternoon sun and talk about their trip fondly like they are back home already.

"I'm going to miss this place." Momo pouts and cuddles to Nayeon's side. Nayeon holds her and strokes her hair knowing how easily emotional the younger girl gets.

"Me too." Dahyun cuddles into her other side.

Sana wants to hug Nayeon too, she's always been the source of strength for the whole group.

"Move away. I want to hug Nayeon-chan too." She whines trying to drag Dahyun away from her who just holds onto Nayeon tighter. They're laughing and tickling each other two seconds later and Jihyo uses this window of opportunity to join by Nayeon's side that Dahyun has just left.

"Traitor." They yell at her accusingly. Jihyo shrugs, throwing them a cheeky grin.

"They're having a cuddle fest, do you want one too?" Jeongyeon offers with a smile, and Chaeyoung understands that she's calling truce.

"Fine, come here you big baby." She pulls Jeongyeon to her side who smiles brightly.

Chaeyoung opens her arm hesitantly towards Mina who contemplates it for a second. She remembers it's their last day here and joins Chaeyoung's side, releasing a soft breath when she's in her arms.

Tzuyu puts her camera on selfie mode and drops to her knees in front of them.

"Say cheese."

The shutter clicks snapping another happy moment between the girls.

\------------------

Chaeyoung doesn't stop laughing because even though Jeongyeon annoys her to a great extent, she is undeniably funny when she wants to be.

"So when the teacher asked me what kind of animal stays up at night, I said vampires."

"Shut up." She holds her sides because she is hurting from laughing so much.

"Not my fault my dad is a fan of horror films. I was only 6 anyway." Jeongyeon leans back on her seat and grins when Chaeyoung smiles back at her. Chaeyoung thinks a six year old Jeongyeon would have been adorable.

"So anyway, why are you not sitting next to Mina?" She breaks their glance and shifts her eye towards where Mina is sitting. The spot next to her assigned for Nayeon is empty.

"Decided to give her some space." Chaeyoung casts a glance at the girl. "I can't fix anything if I keep suffocating her."

Jeongyeon hums. Giving Mina the power to set the pace is something the quiet girl would definitely appreciate.

"Where's Nayeon?" Chaeyoung looks towards their seat again.

Jeongyeon smirks. "I thought you don't care about her."

Chaeyoung huffs. "I don't."

Jeongyeon's smirk turns into a full blown grin.

Nayeon knows she can't spend the entire nine hours of the flight in the toilet but she doesn't want to make Mina uncomfortable either. She can't ask Chaeyoung to switch places because the girl is mad at her and would probably push her out of the flight before doing something she asked of her.

There is a knock at the door.

"Nayeon-chan come out. You've been there for thirty minutes now. I need to use the loo." Momo says loudly enough for all the girls to hear.

Nayeon slaps her face with a palm. Momo has just announced to all the girls that she's either been hiding in the toilet or that she has a really bad stomach problem. And both are embarrassing as hell. She takes a deep breath and gathers every ounce of courage she has and opens the door to walk down the narrow aisle. She thinks about asking Sana to switch places with her but then she's going to know things are still tense between Chaeyoung, Mina and her and that's not something she wants.

She sees Mina stiffen a little at the arriving footsteps. She pauses mid aisle not knowing what to do. Mina leaves her seat and whispers something to Jeongyeon who reluctantly gets off her seat and lets Mina take her place. Nayeon goes to her assigned seat and throws an apologetic glance at Jeongyeon who drops to the seat which was previously occupied by Mina. She is truly sorry how Jeongyeon once again has become a pingpong ball between the three of them.

"You should hate me too." She tells Jeongyeon, her tone honest and open.

"Can't and won't." Jeongyeon says with an air of finality.

The rest of the flight goes pretty smoothly. Nayeon sometimes catches through the corner of her eyes Chaeyoung and Mina making small conversation here and there.

"They're going to be okay." Jeongyeon mutters under her breath as if she read her mind. "Don't worry about them."

Nayeon looks at her with a little surprise etched on her face. "How did you know?"

Jeongyeon turns on the video player in front of her. "We always notice things about people we love."

Nayeon nods because there's no denying the truth in her words.

"You're supposed to say you love me too, not stare off into space with so much angst." Jeongyeon chuckles.

Nayeon smiles warmly. "I love you and your fruity ass."

"Your I love yous are so cheesy it's going to make me gag." Chaeyoung yells from across the aisle.

Nayeon reddens a little. Jeongyeon blows Chaeyoung a middle finger kiss.

Nayeon snuggles next to Jeongyeon. Naeyon's always strong for everyone but when she needs someone to draw strength from, it's always the taller girl she goes to. "Don't think I haven't noticed how upset you've been looking lately as well."

"Seeing you upset makes me upset." Jeongyeon mutters.

Nayeon knows there is more to it than what she lets on but she doesn't push her. It is not like this is right place for them to have this conversation anyway. "You're a smooth talker." She lets go off the topic, shuffling the hair on Jeongyeon's head.

"You may now kiss." This time it's Momo who's yelling that from behind them and Nayeon resists the urge to roll her eyes. She sees Chaeyoung sigh as Mina leans on her. She sighs in relief as well because she finally believes that Chaeyoung and Mina are going to be okay.


	13. Chapter 13

Jeongyeon wolf whistles when Nayeon walks through the door after the scheduled appointment with her hairdresser. Nayeon picks a cushion off the couch and smacks her face with it.

"You look.. wow!" Momo holds a hand to her heart and sighs dramatically.

"Keep this hair and I might just ask you to marry me." Dahyun kisses her cheeks because even though Nayeon looks years younger having lost her extensions and now sports a shorter layered bob which barely touches her shoulder and has a tinge of burgundy hue to it, she looks undeniably hot and attractive.

"Ready to turn more straight girls gay for you Nayeon-chan?" Sana winks at the blushing older girl.

"I can't wait to see what they've done with Mina, Chaeyoung and Jihyo." Dahyun claps excitedly. They're done with their next music video and this week is all about getting them a new look. When Chaeyoung comes back with her hair bleached even more blonde than before and a big sulking face all of them hold in their laughter for the younger girl's sake. They know Chaeyoung is attractive in any hair, but despite what they think the younger girl feels the most confident and comfortable in her natural hair colour.

Jihyo's hair is not messed around much except for the layers, the side fringe and the dark tone it has gotten. "I want to see what look Mina got." Jihyo declares and the doorbell rings as if to answer her wish.

Mina walks through the door and all the girls stop whatever they're doing to take in the vision before their eyes.

Tzuyu stares. Jihyo freezes. Chaeyoung swoons. Momo gapes. Jeongyeon drools. Dahyun stumbles. Sana melts.

Nayeon averts her eyes and dashes into her room.

Mina's dark blonde tresses drapes down her delicate frame, curling at the end just past her chest. The soft glow of the hair gives her a halo that seems to dim the lights in the room. From under the long wavy hair, shines the eyes that are the color of liquid chocolate. Her soft velvety lips curve into a nervous smile as she looks around at the suddenly quiet room, anxious of the girls' reaction.

"So?"

"Have I died?"

Mina's perfectly shaped brows creases in confusion.

"Because this feels like heaven." Sana drops to her knees and gazes dreamily at the girl. "And you look like an angel."

Chaeyoung watches as not only the creamy smooth skin on Mina's cheeks, but her whole face turns red. Her ears are hidden behind the soft curls but she's sure they're as rosy as her face. She clears her throat and licks her suddenly dry lips. When Mina catches her eyes, she's sure she's going to join Sana on the floor as well because her knees feel weak.

"So they gave Jeongyeon even longer hair and chopped off Nayeon's extensions huh." Jihyo chuckles and turns to look at where Nayeon is, only to find it oddly empty. "Where's Nayeon?"

"She was here seconds ago. Did someone kidnap her?" Momo's eyes widen as she looks at Tzuyu for reassurance.

Tzuyu lets out an exasperated sigh. "I just saw her go into her room Momo. "

Dahyun chuckles behind her hand. "She'll give us all a whiplash if she keeps moving around this fast. It's like living with the Flash."

"Or a bunny." Jeongyeon adds.

Mina goes to the kitchen counter and is about to drop the bag of doughnuts she's picked up for the girls, but she stops like she's suddenly realized something and snaps her gaze back to Chaeyoung, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Your hair is lighter." She points out the obvious, making Sana giggle.

Chaeyoung slumps against the couch, her expression giving away all of her thoughts as usual. "I hate it."

Mina slants her head like she doesn't understand. "You look pretty."

It's not often the other girls get to see Chaeyoung blush. So when she turns shy and coy, a rosy color searing through her cheeks, they enjoy it while they can. They argue if they are going to cook or order dinner because Jihyo and Sana like to cook. Tzuyu and Momo want takeaway. The other girls don't care. But the lack of washing up easily sways even Jihyo and Sana into ordering takeaway because they have an early morning shoot next day.

The girls sit around the counter, quietly chatting and discussing about their music video. The take away dinner lays neatly arranged on the table in brown paper bags in their spotless kitchen.

Chaeyoung eats like a caveman, taking massive bites of her burger rather than cutting it. When Jeongyeon throws a crooked smile at her, she shows no signs of embarrassment, grins back at her and wipes her mouth on her sleeve shamelessly. By her side, Mina nibbles on her food, graceful and elegant, taking measured bites, a vast contrast to Chaeyoung's Neanderthal and Jeongyeon thinks that it's true when they say opposites attracts.

\-----------------

Nayeon's stomach growls slightly as the pleasant aroma of food wafts through the air into her room. She lays on her back and stares at the night light hanging from the roof. It gently dances along to the breeze that's coming from the slanted windows. She knows she can't go out there. Not if she wants to not upset Chaeyoung and Mina. A part of her longs for things to go back to normal, because when she's with the girls the pain stops, but these days it sits in her stomach like a fire burning slow.

Her eyes wander aimlessly around the room because she knows if she closes them now and dwell on everything she's lost, even for a fraction of a second, the pain is going to devour her like she's has thrown fuel over the slow burning flames. All around her are pictures of herself, the girls and their families on the wall. Her gaze lands on one particular picture and her heart painfully throbs in it its chest. Jeongyeon is standing next to her with a shy smile and there's a taxi in the background.

Despite herself her eyes flutter shut as she recalls the day, the day she met her. She distinctly remembers the distant roll of thunder and the sound of the rain gently strumming on the windows of the studio.

Nayeon remembers as if it were yesterday how her heart stopped for a while and her whole world slowed down.

At first she only sees dainty fingers playing with the rain water pouring down the sides of an umbrella. Then, like the moon coming out from under dark night clouds, Nayeon watches in astounded silence her dazzling face kissed by few raindrops peeking out from the umbrella.

Nayeon remembers not moving, not breathing as she stayed frozen to the spot. She had lived 18 years on earth, and her heart had never moved for anyone, no boy or girl had made her feel every pound in her chest, every hair on her body stand to attention.

She vaguely recalls people around her shouting for her to step away from the balcony that has no rails. But everything and everyone had faded into the background, as she eyes the most beautiful girl she's ever seen.

Perfect wavy hair that rests right above her chest, skin that looks so fragile yet so soft , alluring little freckles around her nose, cheeks the colour of pink roses, long eyelashes which flutters over chocolate brown eyes that could swallow galaxies, a small waist hidden under a red jumper, curvy hips that fit so perfectly in light blue jeans. She's simply spellbinding.

And then she smiles.

Her bee-stung lips lifts upwards, nose crinkles and eyes shine brightening up everything around her, like the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there amidst the falling rain.

Nayeon knows immediately this was the girl. This was the girl that had the power to either save her or completely destroy her. This was the girl she could love for an eternity.

A knock at the door shakes her out of the deep thoughts.

A few minutes later Sana approaches the other girls with a frown on her face. "I tried to get her to come have dinner but she wants to sleep and shooed me away!"

Chaeyoung bites into the burger and throws a fry at her. "It's just one meal, don't worry so much. If she's hungry she'll come have the leftovers. She's not a child Sana."

Sana knows that, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't worry.

Jeongyeon finishes her burger, throws the paper in the bin and stretches for effect. "I'm going to bed too. We have to be up at five."

Chaeyoung sniggers as Jeongyeon walks to the room Nayeon and her are sharing. "They aren't even trying to be discreet anymore."

Sometimes later, they are all done with their food except Mina. Jihyo knows the girl is a slow eater but this is way too slow even for Mina. She's barely taken a bite of the burger. Even though Jihyo is beyond tired after a long day, she still asks, "Do you want me to sit with you till you finish?"

Mina nods her head in negative as she quickly puts the untouched burger back in the wrapper. "I'll have it in the morning. I'm tired too."

Any other time Jihyo would have insisted she finish the burger, but her eyes are drooping heavy with sleep and she lets Mina go with a low warning. "You better finish it in the morning."

Mina nods, but she knows her aching heart will stubbornly refuse to let a morsel of food pass through her throat. Every bite she takes seems painful, her throat constricting with emotions that she keeps hidden. Her eyes searches around the room for Chaeyoung in the low night light Jihyo has turned on before she left. She wants to be in her arms, comforted by the only warmth she's ever known. It's entirely her fault the younger girl has been keeping her distance, she's the one who asked for it.

"Goodnight." She stiffens when someone hugs her from behind, but completely melts into the circling arms when she turns around and sees Chaeyoung grinning at her goofily.

"Goodnight." She breathes out as she buries her face into the crook of the younger girl's neck and sags against her.


	14. Chapter 14

"Get in the car." Jihyo instructs Dahyun who is looking over her shoulder for the other members to join them. "Others are coming in the next car." Chaeyoung, Mina, Dahyun, Jiyho and Sana hop into the car one by one. It's four in the morning and the weather is cold, brutal and unforgiving and has the girls shivering even under their thick coats. They are thankful for the heating in the car which warms their frozen body.

"I feel like I'm going to get the shittiest costume today." Sana pouts. "I always get terrible costumes on Wednesdays."

Chaeyoung raises a brow at her irrational logic and turns to share a look with Mina who is trying hard to hide a smile.

"You told Nayeon-chan that her zodiac meant she has the shittiest luck on Wednesdays." Moma scratches her cheek as her forehead crinkles with confusion. 

Dahyun guffaws like Momo has cracked a joke, her loud laugh echoing through the car. "Have you seen her new haircut? She couldn't look bad on any days if she tried."

Mina's eyes are focussed on the cars speeding past them on the street. Chaeyoung is fighting battles within herself about how she has handled the situation with Nayeon. Her mind fills with images of the older girl, her eyes twinkling with laughter and her teeth glistening as she smiles. She remembers the girl who's always been there for everyone, supporting them through thick and thin. She suddenly realizes she misses the older girl and wishes Nayeon is around so she can tell how sorry she is for treating her the way she had. Chaeyoung blinks away the tears when she recalls how Nayeon has always been there for her in her darkest hours, picking up her pieces and putting them back together when no one even realised that she needed it.

"She has always been beautiful, haircut or not, inside and out." Chaeyoung's tone is melancholic but she plays it off with a shrug of her shoulder and Jihyo nods her head in agreement.

"Mina hasn't seen her haircut though." Momo comments.

"You haven't?" Sana gasps with a hand to her chest and looks at the roof of the van dreamily. "You'd have a hard time resisting jumping her, trust me."

"Not everyone is incapable of controlling their hormones." Jihyo smacks her arm playfully.

Sana thinks its going to be really hard to control those hormones when the five of them step into the outdoor set after getting their hair, makeup and styling done and her eyes land on Nayeon. "Oh my god!" She gasps making the other girls look towards where she is looking at.

Mina is busy staring at her own ballerinas.

Nayeon is standing next to Jeongyeon, pointing at the cameras and discussing where the blind spots could be.

She's dressed in a brown shirt that's smooth and tailored to fit her slender frame. The shirt is tucked into a pair of slim beige trousers that are held up by beige suspenders. Brown Desert boots gracefully compliments a light brown coat that trails along the length of her body till her thighs. Her shoulder length straight hair which glistens in the soft morning rays of the sun is parted on the side and combed back gracefully behind her ears. Her dark unreadable eyes shines with intensity and her inviting red lips are curved in a pout as she listens to Jeongyeon.

"Damn." Chaeyoung exclaims, because even she can feel her heart flutter at the vision before her.

"She looks.." Momo stutters and stops. She has no words to describe just how magnificent Nayeon looks now. "I think I need a glass of cold water."

She walks away and Sana wants to stop her because its cold and doesn't want Momo to get sick, but even she feels the need to fan herself as she looks at Nayeon. "Wait, I'll go with you."

Dahyun stands and gapes. She is not willing to turn her eyes away from the view before her. She settles on staring and swooning.

Chaeyoung glimpses at Mina who is awfully quiet and seems to be the only one not affected by Nayeon looking like a goddess in suspenders and vintage attire.

"You have an amazing will power not to react to that." Chaeyoung points at Nayeon, bumps Mina's shoulder and chuckles.

"Some people find character attractive, not appearance." Mina dismisses her and Chaeyoung feels slightly guilty because its because of her Mina is upset with Nayeon.

She touches Mina's shoulder and tries to catch her eyes. "Mina, it was actually me-"

Mina stops her. "Chaeyoungah, I don't want to talk about this. Please?"

The wounded eyes is what convinces Chaeyoung not to push the conversation. Mina is delicate as a flower and it doesn't take a lot to break her, Chaeyoung isn't willing to be the person that sends her over the edge.

\------------------

Chaeyoung's eyes twinkles as she glances up at Jeongyeon in a cowboy suit who's currently hiding her face behind her hands. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear you call me beautiful." They're still waiting for their shot to be called. Jihyo and Sana have just finished theirs.

Joengyeon shakes her head and groans. "Remind me never to compliment your egoistic arse again."

Chaeyoung tries to pry her hands away to get a glimpse of the blush she's sure coating the taller girl's face only to have her shoo her away. Over her shoulder, she sees Nayeon approaching Jeongyeon but stopping when she sees Chaeyoung with her.

"Unnie." Chaeyoung calls out and Nayeon looks behind her to see if she is addressing someone else. The action is so endearing that even the last bit of anger Chaeyoung is holding onto melts away.

Dahyun shakes her head at the duo near the field. She's sure their stylist is going to have a go at them when she finds Nayeon's hair covered in sand because Nayeon is laying on her back on the ground and Chaeyoung is on top of her holding her in a tight hug.

"Why are they acting like they haven't seen each other in years?" Tzuyu asks in astonishment.

Sana lifts a lazy shoulder. "Because they're the crackhead duo of Twice."

Tzuyu says oh and doesn't question that further like it's explanation enough. "Anyway do you know who your dance partner for today's episode is?"

Momo lets out a frustrated huff. "They won't tell me. They want us to be actually be surprised and not act surprised when we get to know who our partner is."

Dahyun sighs, she doesn't want to end up in a trio because coordination on the spot won't be easy and she doesn't want to paired up with Jeongyeon because she tends to step on her toes. She wants Mina to be on her team. The girl is a quick learner and easily grasps dance routines.

With that line of thought, her eyes subconsciously drift to Mina who is shivering while trying to pull the thin cardigan around her. While everyone got to wear coats, sweaters or other warm clothes, the styling team decided to put her in a cream coloured thin strapped dress that came up to just her thighs. If it isn't for the cardigan she has picked up from the car, Dahyun thinks the poor girl would be freezing to death by now.

"Chaeyoung is stupid." Sana points at where Mina and Jihyo are checking the monitor. "Her girl is cold and she isn't even offering her coat."

Tzuyu shifts her glance between Mina and Chaeyoung. "To be fair, Chaeyoung has a short blazer on. She'd freeze if it isn't for that."

"I thought true love meant putting the other person before you." Momo deflates because she had really believed in every single romance novel she had ever read.

Unbeknownst to them Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung are having the same conversation now.

"Poor Mina, why would they put her in a dress when its minus degree?" Jeongyeon casts a glance at the younger girl who's rubbing her arms to create some heat.

"I'd give her mine but I only have a shirt underneath." Chaeyoung frowns.

Nayeon shrugs off her long woollen coat. "Give her this, but pretend its yours."

Chaeyoung's brow creases with concern. "Are you not going to be cold?"

Nayeon's eyes land on the sun that's rising in the horizon of the lily fields, the pink of the flowers and the yellow of the morning rays creating a beautiful contrast making everything around her look heavenly.

"My shirt is thermal. It's quite warm."

Chaeyoung doesn't question her after that because she has an important mission in hand, to save the damsel in distress. She puts on the coat that looks slightly oversized on her and struts towards where the girl is. She pretends to check the monitor with Jihyo and Mina casually and then offers her the coat after a while. Mina accepts it gratefully with a thanks. The Japanese girl sighs as the woollen coat hugs her body and gives her a warmth like that of an old friend.

She pulls the collar together around her neck and a fresh earthly scent gently assaults her senses. The coat smells like ocean, citrus, sun and sea breeze and she has lived in the dorm long enough to know the scent belongs to Nayeon. She pretends she doesn't know the coat is Nayeon's. She's still not over what the older girl had done, but she doesn't have the heart to refuse Cheyoung's sweet gesture either. Besides the coat is really comforting and she's reluctant to part with it.

"Dahyun, Tzuyu and Momo. Come up here." The director yells.

Dahyun groans, she should just stop wishing for things because she always gets the opposite of what she asks for anyway.


	15. Chapter 15

Mina throws her head back and laughs, her gummy smile shining brightly because it is Dahyun who actually steps on Momo who stumbles and falls backwards but is caught by Tzuyu. Momo starts to giggle because her toe hurts. The laughter is so infectious soon it has the whole crew roaring with laughter. Chaeyoung stops laughing and takes a moment to admire Mina.

"What?" Mina tucks a lock of hair behind her ears self consciously.

"Nothing." Chaeyoung shrugs with a grin.

Mina shoves her slightly on her shoulder making the younger girl laugh again.

"It's the barn dance Dahyun, not the death dance. Lets try to keep Momo alive for the next shot okay?" The director yells through the loudspeaker in a joking tone.

Another round of laughter ripples through the set. Across the set, Mina sees Jeongyeon chuckling away holding a hand to her ribs. By her side Nayeon who's always abundant on energy is shuffling on her feet and smiling softly at the trio. Her hands often rubs her arms to create friction to ward off the cold. She's wearing a derby hat so her haircut isn't visible from the distance but she definitely looks chic in her dark brown shirt, suspenders and trousers.

"I think you're going to be with Chaeyoung." Jihyo smiles broadly giving Mina a thumbs up. "It's an easy win against Jeongyeon and Nayeon because you know how Jeongyeon loves to step on people's feet, even more so than Dahyun."

Chaeyoung hears Jihyo's remark and throws a smirk at Jeongyeon who catches her eyes and quirks an eyebrow. Jeongyeon is definitely clumsy but that makes her a little more endearing, but Chaeyoung would never admit that to the older girl.

"Time for the next call." The director's voice booms through the loudspeakers.

Chaeyoung is ready for this. She always get paired with Mina and they have really good coordination together. She's confident they can place first or maybe second behind Jihyo and Sana. Mina is a terrific dancer, so she's sure they're going to be the first. She straightens up, ready for the director to call her name.

"Mina and Nayeon."

Chaeyoung sighs. She has no chance of winning anything with a Jeongyeon by her side.

Mina grows still for a second. The heat that has been creeping up her body leaves suddenly, sending a chill through her spine. She hasn't had a shot alone with Nayeon in over three years, she's not sure if she's ready for this when they're not even speaking to each other. She's not even angry at the older girl, just disappointed. Disappointment can be worse than anger because it strikes when you least expect it. It destroys years of trust leaving behind a trail of regrets and broken hopes.

Mina's breath seem to stutter in her lungs before she lets it go, feeling the tension drain from her body. Her breathing returns to normal and she nods her head as if she could face the problem. "I'll be there." She shrugs off her coat and gives it to the assistant who takes it away for her.

"You'll be dancing for Kate and Leo's Famous Irish dance from Titanic." The assistant director tells her.

Mina licks her dry lips and nods her head.

"We'll run the video only once and you'll have to memorize those steps and recreate it on the second take. Are we clear?"

Her pulse begins to race slightly. Chaeyoung and her have decent chemistry and coordination, they could have tried to pull this off but with Nayeon she doesn't know what to expect because she's in unknown territory.

"Crystal clear." She says politely as ever, masking her own concern.

"Minayah I love you." Momo cheers from the sidelines and Mina laughs softly at her childlike innocence and enthusiasm. The assistant guides her to the seats that's assigned for them to watch the scene. She feels Nayeon come to sit by her side but doesn't bother looking at her. The scene begins to play. Mina gives all her attention to the screen as she begins to memorize the dance sequence.

"Are you ready for your take?"

The director asks from behind the camera and Mina throws a hesitant smile at her.

"Standby 3..2..1.."

"Roll sound.. camera ready?...and action.."

Mina turns to her side and steps into the waiting arms. Her eyes shift upwards and she feels her breath catching in her throat. The girls haven't been lying, Nayeon really does look dashing. Mina sees Nayeon's dark eyes widen as if she just realized the situation she is in and bites back a smile despite the awkwardness between them.

"Cut.."

The director frowns at them because they're just standing there, not moving to the music. "Is everything ok?"

Mina flushes a little and throws an apologetic glance at the woman behind the camera. "I'm sorry Unnie, can we go again?"

They redo the take.

"Look at my Jack and Rose." Momo sighs dramatically. The cameras are rolling and Nayeon and Mina who are both excellent dancers pull the moves off perfectly, laughing and dancing together like the professionals they are.

"And cut. Brilliant chemistry there guys. Well done." The director declares.

Nayeon lets go off Mina's waist immediately and rushes towards where Jeongyeon is, not so much as looking her in the eye.

Mina picks up the coat from the assistant director and wraps it around her body again even though she feels warm now.

"I am so fucking screwed." Chaeyoung exclaims looking at the clumsy clown that is Jeongyeon approach her with a big devious grin.

\------------

Dahyun suppresses a snort at the scene unfolding in front of her. They've just reached their dorm after spending nearly eight hours shooting outside. It's lunchtime but Mina and Sana are making hot chocolate in the kitchen to warm everyone up. What has Dahyun chuckling is the two girls on the couch. One of them is sulking and has an ice pack on her foot, the other one keeps trying to apologize.

"Chaeyoungah I've said sorry about hundred times."

"You stepped on my foot about two hundred times."

Jeongyeon sighs defeated.

Chaeyoung softens a little at the crestfallen look on the older girl. "Fine, I'll forgive you if you take us all to have black bean noodles in your secret spot."

Jeongyeon chuckles. "You tricked me into this."

Chaeyoung throws her hand above her head, eyes twinkling with mirth. "You walked into this baby, more like stepped into this."

Jeongyeon rolls her eyes but she takes all the girls to the restaurant she's been frequenting willingly. It's not like she's been hiding the spot from them, it's just that nobody ever asked. The restaurant turns out to be not the place you book in advance, it's the kind of place you stumble upon accidentally. With its large wooden windows, long flowery curtains, carefully lit candles, dark walnut tables, flowers on each table, delicate music and embroidered couches, it reminds them of their villa in Hawaii.

"I feel like we opened a magic portal and stepped into this place." Momo exclaims and Tzuyu nods her head in agreement.

Nayeon who's still in the same clothes from the shoot because they didn't get time to change, tries to loosen her suspenders after a hearty meal that tastes delicious and homemade. "I shouldn't have eaten so much. "

Next to her Jeongyeon belches loudly making Chaeyoung snigger.

"We should have changed our clothes." Dahyun points at two younger girls sitting across the table from theirs. "They haven't stopped checking out Nayeonnie."

Jeongyeon looks uncomfortable as she quickly takes a glance at the girls who look away from Nayeon when they feel eyes on them. "They look like teens."

Chaeyoung whispers to Mina, "They look older. I think she's just jealous."

"They're probably wondering how we ended up here." Nayeon dismisses Dayun's claim. Her breath comes out a little hard and her throat itches a little, so she takes a sip of warm water.

Sana gives a pointed look at Nayeon. "Nayeon-chan, you're like completely thick when people like you."

Nayeon looks offended, her hand twists and plays with the tissue on the table." That's not true."

Jeongyeon takes the tissue away from her. "Can you stop fidgeting for a second? "

"It's true." Sana continues, "Did you know I used to have a really big girl crush on you when we first joined?"

"Shut up." Nayeon grins widely, like that's the best joke she's heard today.

Jihyo sniggers. Nayeon pretends to be highly self assured but the truth is she's not really aware just how much effect she has on people.

"Ask Mina if you want. I used to talk about you all the time. Oh Nayeon-san looks so good in that T-shirt, look Nayeon-san is smiling ain't that so cute, ah Nayeon-san is breathing isn't that the best thing ever." Sana recalls her trainee days with a glazed over look in her eye.

"Jeongyeon used to be like that too." Jihyo butts in. "Even though she used to pretend she's annoyed by Nayeon."

Jeongyeon scowls at her.

"Mina, if you cut the meat any stronger you'd be cutting the plate." Tzuyu laughs because Mina is concentrating really hard on getting it cut neatly, she has a near death grip on the fork and knife.

Mina doesn't reply nor does she takes her eyes off the plate. Across her, Nayeon wonders if she should switch seats so the Japanese girl can actually look up and take part in the conversation around her.

Momo lifts her hand up excitedly.

"What is it Momo?" Nayeon gazes at her fondly when the girl bounces on her seat like a child.

"Ten bucks if they flirt with you?"

Nayeon suppresses a laugh. The girl sure loves to bet and even though Momo loses most of the time she's always the one to start them.

"Make that a hundred." Nayeon slaps the fresh currency bills on the table, confident of herself.

Jeongyeon holds back the laughter for the benefit of Nayeon. It's pretty dark in the van but even through the dim lights she sees how annoyed the girl looks and doesn't want to irk her further. Momo is counting the currency in her hands, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Because sitting in Nayeon's lap are the phone numbers the girls have slipped in.

"You are hotter in person." One of them has whispered close to her ears, as her hand gently trailed down Nayeon's arm who turned the brightest shade of pink.

Momo thinks Nayeon's gobsmacked face alone is more satisfactory than the hundred dollar bet but she still collects them.

Mina thinks it takes an extraordinary amount of courage to tell someone you like them. She glances at Chaeyoung for a fleeting second. The kind of courage she would never have. Her heart aches painfully as she tries to move away from the past but it feels like she's struck on treadmill in a never ending run.

Nayeon doesn't miss the way Mina looks at Chaeyoung. She wonders what's holding her back from getting into a relationship when it's obvious she has feelings for the younger girl.

"So Nayeonnie," Chaeyoung begins with a teasing tone and Nayeon tears her eyes away from Mina. "When are you going to call them?"

Nayeon gives a middle finger in response. "I liked you better when you weren't talking to me."

Chaeyoung's loud laugh booms through the van.

Mina breaks into a smile as well because Chaeyoung doesn't stop when she gets a laughing fit and two minutes later all of them are holding their ribs because they're laughing so hard and Mina forgets the ache in her heart at least for the moment.


	16. Chapter 16

"Where's Nayeon?" Jihyon feels like she's been asking this question too often lately. It unsettles her, but she quickly squashes the thought. She has always been an over thinker and Nayeon doesn't need her breathing down her throat when all she probably wants is some time alone.

"She's busy finding a spot to hide Momo's phone." Tzuyu points towards Nayeon's room where sound of feet shuffling comes from.

"Not again." Sana sniggers, "Why does Momo leave her phone lying around when we live with The Nayeon?"

"She trusts too much." Dahyun exclaims, she's always careful around the bunny living in their dorm.

"Nobody should trust Nayeon." Jeongyeon jokes because Nayeon is a certified prankster. She immediately regrets her words when she sees Mina flinch like she's reminded of something she doesn't want to think about.

Nayeon ends up taking Momo for dinner even though her body is shuddering with chills, because the younger girl pretends to be upset when she finds it's Nayeon who's hidden her phone again.

"You are eligible for an Oscar." Sana winks at Momo, who is bouncing excitedly on her feet as Nayeon slips her boots on.

"Shush, guilt tripping is the only way I'm going to get Nayeon-chan to buy me dinner." Momo goes back to her sad face quickly when Nayeon looks behind her to see if the younger girl is good to go.

"I'm going to sleep, goodnight Chaeyoungah." Mina sidehugs the girl beside her and goes to her room claiming she's exhausted after the long press conference.

Chaeyoung sighs, it's not even six in the evening and she's going to miss Mina until it's time for her to get to bed.

"Well try not to have too much fun on your date." Tzuyu says dryly to Momo as they open the door ready to head out.

"Try not to be too jealous." Momo sticks her tongue at her.

Jeongyeon glances to her right and sees Chaeyoung look longingly at Mina's shut door. The front door shuts and Nayeon leaves with Momo. She feels jealousy is something that even the most rational person has no control over.

Sana has noticed a pattern for a while but she doesn't want to jump into conclusions. But towards the end of the night she's confident her inkling is right. "Mina, wake up. Nayeon-chan has gotten us takeaway for dinner." Sana jumps on her bed and watches the girl gently stir from her sleep and wincing when the bright light hits her sensitive eyes.

"I'm not hungry Sana." She sits up and stretches softly.

"Your favorite Kimchi fried rice is there, come on you can't say no that." Sana flashes an offer Mina could never refuse. She sees the girl's eyes light up for a second at the mention of her favorite food before she lets out a soft sigh of reluctance.

She smiles sadly at Sana. "I'm good, I'm just really sleepy."

Mina babies Sana all the time but the girl is quite intuitive. She's noticed that Mina is avoiding Nayeon but she can't understand why. "I don't understand." She blurts out what's on her mind and continues when Mina frowns in confusion. "You forgave Chaeyoung but not Nayeon-chan, why?"

Mina doesn't reply for a while and Sana thinks that's the end of the conversation until she speaks up quietly. "Because a broken heart can be fixed, but a broken trust is not easy to fix."

Sana wonders for a moment which one of the two Nayeon broke but shakes the thought away. Obviously she's talking about Chaeyoung breaking her heart and Nayeon breaking her trust. The filter in her mouth seems to be out of order today because she actually asks Mina, "Which one of the two Nayeon-chan broke?"

"Doesn't your heart break when the trust breaks?"

Sana can't argue with that. Trust and heartbreak aren't mutually exclusive after all, you don't have to be in love to experience heartbreak.

"Do you want me to punch her for you?" She jokes.

Mina's lips quirk up in a tiny smile. "She'll easily beat you in a punching match. Too much energy."

"Oh yes, I forgot about that." Sana giggles. "I can imagine her being 90 and still bouncing on her bed as soon as she wakes up."

The image puts another smile on Mina's face. And it only grows wider when she wakes up the next morning and finds Nayeon running all over the place, trying to get away from Jeongyeon who's furious Nayeon has shown another embarrassing photo of her on a vlive. Sana's eyes meet Mina's across the room in a secretive smile that says 'see I told you.'

Mina lets go off the past, if only for a moment, to chuckle at the sight of Nayeon jumping over couches and chairs in the living room only to fall flat on her arse two minutes later. Jeongyeon doesn't even bother helping her up. She points at Nayeon and begins to laugh with glee and Tzuyu doesn't misses the chance to capture the spectacular moment on her phone.

\---------

Jeongyeon fixes her gaze on Chaeyoung who's paying attention to the online fansign. As if sensing eyes on her, she turns to her left only for the taller girl to look away immediately.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Chaeyoung teases when she corners Jeongyeon in the dorm which is unusually quiet because Jihyo, Mina, Sana and Tzuyu are out shopping. Nayeon, Dahyun and Momo are shooting for a new television program.

Jeongyeon regards the younger girl warily. "Why would you ask me that?"

"I don't know you tell me." Chaeyoung advances playfully towards where the taller girl is sitting. It's all fun and playful until their eyes lock together and she sees Jeongyeon swallow thickly. Her pulse races slightly and Chaeyoung takes a step back because there is something heavy looming in the air between them.

Jeongyeon lets out a breath of relief when Chaeyoung puts some distance between them. She closes the book in her lap and contemplates if she should go to her room. "There's nothing to say Chaeyoungah." She mutters as she looks at a spot near her feet.

Chaeyoung wants to give her a hug because Jeongyeon who's always composed looks troubled and it tugs at her heartstrings. "Nothing always means something." She mumbles under her breath and takes the older girl's hand between hers. They're soft and warm, a striking contrast to her strong and loud personality.

Jeongyeon looks up and takes in Chaeyoung who is studying her with watchful eyes. "Maybe, but you aren't ready to hear what I say."

The words affect Chaeyoung deeply for some reason and she doesn't look away. "You won't know until you say it." She sees Jeongyeon's steely eyes soften for a bit. She's not sure if it's her imagination, but Jeongyeon gulps visibly and the distance between them seems to be closing.

"Bishes we are home." Jihyo's loud voice startles them both and they spring apart quickly.

"Are you two fighting?" That's the first question Tzuyu asks. Because, Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung are always bickering and there's never a dull moment when the two of them are left alone.

"No." Jeongyeon insists.

Mina's gaze flickers between the two. When Chaeyoung's eyes meet hers, the younger girl looks away guiltily. Mina knows something is wrong but she isn't the type to interrogate. She knows Chaeyoung will come to her when she's ready to talk.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Jeongyeon mentally scolds herself. What was she thinking? She almost.. She cuts off her thoughts because she is terrified to even let her mind linger on that moment.

"You're making me dizzy." Nayeon whines because Jeongyeon is pacing back and forth in the balcony. They're having their late night hot chocolate because Jeongyeon said she has something to talk about. "It's better if you don't think too much and just come right out with it."

Jeongyeon inhales deeply as if to gain the strength to say the words. "I almost kissed Chaeyoung tonight." 

Jeongyeon glimpses at Nayeon who is speechless for a second. Then her face breaks into a slow smile. "Good one."

Jeongyeon doesn't return the smile. She looks panicked, her eyes clouded with worry.

Nayeon's smile dies a quick death. The pain that's been ebbing and flowing inside her like a stormy sea threatens to wreck havoc.

"I'd never lie to you." Jeongyeon admits in a low voice.

Nayeon slowly gets off her chair and puts the mug in her hand down on the coffee table. "She likes Mina."

Jeongyeon nods. "And Mina likes her."

Nayeon realises they're the two most fucked people on earth. Why else would they pine after someone who likes someone else.

"Jeongyeon, don't lose sight of what you have going after what you can't have." She whispers in a low voice.

"I have nothing Nayeon." The taller girl sobs painfully. "Nothing at all."

Nayeon's heart breaks again because the words are so far removed from the truth.

"You're going to break Mina's heart." She breathes.

And mine. She thinks, but doesn't say it.

"That's not possible." Jeongyeon snorts, "because Chaeyoung is never going to like me back."

Nayeon lets the silence linger in the air between them. Because it gives her a relief from the loud noise in her head, yelling and screaming at her to do the right thing. But love is a baffling thing, what's right for one person could be wrong for another. One thing she's sure about is that some hearts are going to be broken.

"I can't ask you to not follow your heart." Not if I want mine to be broken, her mind helpfully supplies. "But I wish you didn't."

Jeongyeon slumps down on the chair , the words assuring her belief that she should not hold onto feelings that are never going to be returned. "I won't, but I don't know what to do with these feelings either. Tell me how to make it go away."

Nayeon knows it's a rhetorical question. She scoffs mentally because if she knew the answer to that she could put herself out of misery too. "You can't make them go away, you just have to learn to live with it." She pulls the older girl into a hug and kisses the top of her head even though her heart is squeezing painfully and she feels like she can't breath. "You're going to be okay. I'll always be there for you."

Jeongyeon lets the tears well in her eyes as she snuggles into the warmth that is Nayeon. "Thank you."

They don't notice Chaeyoung and Mina glancing at them curiously as they walk past the balcony to get their late night snack.


	17. Chapter 17

Mina's belief that feelings destroyed all good things only strengthens when they're at a reality show the next day. Chaeyoung is acting a little distant and it bothers her more than it should. She hates confrontations but the worry slowly starts to eat her from inside and she doesn't know what to do. When they're separated into teams, Chaeyoung chooses to be in hers and that's not unusual because that's how it has always been. What's new is the younger girl sticks by Tzuyu's side the whole time. She doesn't spare glances at Mina and if their eyes meet accidentally she looks away immediately.

"Have I done something wrong?" She tugs on Chaeyoung's sleeves who has her reading glasses on. She's sketching, something she does when she wants to take her mind off things. 

Chaeyoung lets out a sigh as she looks at Mina. Her beautiful Minari. A person so pure, so delicate and so so wonderful. A person who she knows for sure harbours feelings for her but refuses to act on it. "You could never do anything wrong." She strokes the soft skin on the older girl's face with her thumb and watches her lean into the touch.

"It's just that you have been acting a little distant." Her voice cracks and Chaeyoung feels her heart clench painfully.

"You know how I get when I'm trying to write a song. I'm working on a new one." She lies, and Mina knows she's lying because Chaeyoung has the habit of avoiding her eyes when she is forced to do or say something out of character. Mina nods and holds back the tears in her eyes. The one person she relies on, loves and adores is lying to her for some reason and she doesn't know why.

"I understand." Mina whispers because if she spoke any louder she is sure she'll cry.

Nayeon watches the exchange from across the room and feels another stabbing pain shoot through her heart. Because the pain she sees in Mina's eyes is something she can relate to. Something she has known and become familiar with. Something Mina shouldn't get used to.

Chaeyoung takes a double look at Nayeon because her voice is loaded with sarcasm and scorn.

They're alone in the studio at night. Nayeon is helping her write the new song.

I didn't know your value  
until I lost you

Nayeon reads the lines Chaeyoung has scribbled across the paper. "Maybe you should pay attention to the lyrics you write."

"What do you mean?" Chaeyoung enquires curiously wondering what she has done to receive a biting remark.

Nayeon shrugs. "Mina's birthday is in two days. Have you bought anything for her yet?"

Chaeyoung looks away guiltily. She's been so preoccupied with the song and certain troubling thoughts in her head, she's completely forgotten about the birthday.

"She doesn't deserve this Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung wants to ask what this is, because she's suddenly not sure if Nayeon is talking about the gift. Her tone is loaded and it unnerves the younger girl. "I'll probably pick up the earrings she had her eyes on." Chaeyoung diverts her attention to the matter in hand and wonders as she continues, "Expensive jewellery is always a safe bet right?"

"Mina appreciates thoughtful gifts, not expensive gifts. If you really want to impress her, you need to show how much thought you've put into the gift."

Chaeyoung puts away the scribbling pad to her side and leans back on the chair. "Okay love guru, what do you suggest?"

"I'm not coming in between you again. If you really like her, you'll have to make the effort."

And Chaeyoung tries, she really does. She demands all the band members if Mina has shown any interest in anything recently. She even calls her parents to see if she's said anything about what she'd like for her birthday. Nobody has a clue. Because Mina is not the type to ask for anything, she's the type to accept even the smallest of gifts whole heartedly.

"Stop annoying me." Tzuyu rolls her eyes at Chaeyoung. "Why don't you just ask her when she comes out of the shower?"

"How's that romantic?"

"Tzuyu has no idea about romance." Momo remarks earning a glare from Tzuyu.

"Tomorrow is her birthday and I still haven't bought anything yet." Chaeyoung whines petulantly. She's at the end of her wits, no matter how hard she tries she's unable to find that one perfect gift for the one perfect girl she's ever known.

"I bought a sweater for her." Jihyo takes a bite of her steak and turns the television in the living room on.

"I bought the earrings she longingly looked at." Dahyun states with a chuckle.

Chaeyoung is glad Nayeon stopped her from getting that.

"I got her a new soft toy. It's really big and she can cuddle with it when she gets sad or lonely." Sana exclaims and when six pair of eyes stare at her in confusion she adds, "Don't tell me you haven't noticed how sad she looks lately."

Nayeon knows exactly what Sana is talking about, so she isn't puzzled.

"What did you get her Jeongyeon?" Momo demands in her cheerful voice and Chaeyoung glimpses at the taller girl who's in a casual T-shirt and shorts and yet looks spectacular.

"A new game." Jeongyeon shrugs.

Chaeyoung's face falls. Why couldn't she come up with something like that which Mina would obviously appreciate?

"Oooh she'd love it. Tzuyu and I made her a photo album. With notes from her friends and family." Momo claps excitedly.

Chaeyoung slumps down on the couch. There's no way she is going to top all these thoughtful gifts.

"I don't think I'll ever get her to date me." She laughs sadly as she rolls around the gift in her hand. It's a handmade glass sculpture of a penguin and it reminds her of Mina so she's bought it. Now sitting in her hand it feels like a lame gift.

Nayeon doesn't like the crestfallen look on the younger girl's face. Chaeyoung might think love is a long process but Nayeon knows she is already at the finishing line. Sana's words echoes in her head 'Don't tell me you haven't noticed how sad she looks lately.'

Nobody deserves to be sad on their birthdays and Chaeyoung deserves to have her happy ending. So Nayeon offers the one thing she's saved for Mina to Chaeyoung. "You'll make her the happiest, trust me." Nayeon sneezes into her arm and feels a little dizzy.

"Are you coming down with something? I told you you're going to catch a cold without the damn coat on." Chaeyoung chides.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it. Here, give this to her."

Chaeyoung looks hesitant, she's not sure how the gift in her hand is going to make Mina happy but she decides to trust the older girl and doesn't voice out her concern.

\------------

It rains that night.

Mina is fast asleep in her room and the girls are waiting for the clock to strike twelve.

Nayeon is in her room, pretending to be asleep. The sound of thunder rumbling in the distance is no match to the rumbling in her own heart.

The clock strikes loudly indicating it's midnight. She hears the girls' break into a cheerful birthday song in the next room. She hears Mina's soft thank yous. The rain begins to fall harder with a roaring sound. Her head begins to throb with a dull ache and she feels her eyes burning behind the lids. Nayeon doesn't like the rain but she continues to stare at it anyway.

"Why does the sweater has a baby chick and a bunny?" Tzuyu laughs when Mina opens Jihyo's gift the next morning in their living room.

"I don't know it looked cute, so I bought it." Jihyo lifts a lazy shoulder.

Mina hugs the sweater to her body, it feels warm and cosy. "I love it." She isn't lying, it really is one of the cutest hoodies she's ever seen.

"Speaking about bunnies where is the Duracell bunny in our dorm?" Dahyun looks around, "I swear I saw her in the kitchen like two seconds ago."

"That's a long time in Flash years. She's probably covered another hundred kilometres as we speak." Chaeyoung snorts as she takes a sip of her coffee. She hasn't given her gift yet, because she wants to do it when they're alone.

"Good morning America." Nayeon announces loudly, her voice a little hoarse than normal as she enters the living room from the front door. She has one of her hands behind her back.

Dahyun shakes her head, she's not even going to try and figure out how Nayeon disappeared from the kitchen and appeared at the front door.

"Weirdo." Jeongyeon bumps her shoulders making Nayeon scowl at her.

Mina spins on her feet to go to her room. She needs to get dressed for their recording session.

"Mina." Nayeon's voice stops her. She has no way out of this because her bandmates are around and they can't know things are still complicated between them. She slowly turns around and faces the older girl reluctantly.

"Happy birthday." Nayeon extends her hands and inside them is a small box.

"Thank you." Mina manages a smile and Nayeon sees how forced it is, but she doesn't let the act they're pulling fall apart. So she smiles back as well like things between them are perfectly fine.

"What did she give you?" Jeongyeon steps between them, grabs the gift from Mina's hand and rips it open.

"Where are your manners?" Mina jokes.

"In the cave she crawled out of." Chaeyoung chuckles fondly.

Jeongyeon flips her off.

"Oh it's a penguin." Momo tries to sound excited because honestly Mina must have about hundred penguins in her collection by now. From fans to friends, everyone has given penguin gifts to her.

"It's handmade." Nayeon scratches the back of her neck.

"It looks nice." Tzuyu drawls, never the one to hide her emotions.

Mina looks up from the gift in Jeongyeon's hand and forces another smile. "I like it."

Nayeon knows she doesn't. Chaeyoung knows too. And suddenly she's really glad she took Nayeon's advice and exchanged gifts with her.

The rest of the day passes by them swiftly as the audio recording session progresses. It's nearly eight in the evening when Chaeyoung gets the moment she's been looking forward to. Nayeon, Dahyun and Jeongyeon are in Nayeon's room doing a vlive with fans. Sana and Momo are watching a series on their laptop in their room. Tzuyu and Jihyo are making dinner. Mina is alone in her room playing the new game Jeongyeon bought her.

Chaeyoung's heart beats rapidly as she steps into the room and sees the girl spread across on the bed. She's wearing a thin night dress which only serves to heighten the pulse that's racing inside her.

"Chaeyoungah." Her beautiful face breaks into a soft smile as her gaze land upon hers.

The younger girl takes measured strides towards the bed.

"Are you just going to stare at me all night?" There's a faint blush in her skin when she sees Chaeyoung sitting at the edge of the bed and gazing at her with doting eyes.

Chaeyoung thinks that's a brilliant idea. Because the gentle breeze that's making Mina's blonde curls flutter in the wind, the moonlight kissing the soft skin on her face giving it a glow, the music that's playing on the stereo floating in the room has her transfixed and she's sure she could actually spend the rest of the night just gazing at the girl.

"I could because look at you." Chaeyoung points at her making the colour in her cheeks grow in its intensity. "But that's not what I'm here for."

She takes Mina's hand between hers and lays a thin rectangular box on them. "Happy birthday."

Mina knows from the shape and the weight what it is. It's a vinyl record. For some reason her hands begin to tremble as she gently tears open the wrapper.

Chaeyoung watches with rapt attention the older girl's gaze turn from curious to melancholic.

"Oh my god." She sobs when she finally opens the gift, her voice breaking at the sight of what's in her hand. The Beatles vinyl she thought she had lost forever in Hawaii stares back at her. Her dark lashes brims heavy with tears as her lips tremble and shoulders heave with emotion.

Chaeyoung doesn't know why Mina is reacting this intensely to some old vinyl record but what she does know is how to comfort the girl. So she hugs her tightly as she sobs into her chest, hands clutching at her shirt.


	18. Chapter 18

Nayeon has a temperature, she should be resting in her bed but they have a day off the next day and she doesn't want to spend the night holed up in her room. The lightning lights up the dark kitchen every now and then, helping her navigate her way in the dark to the stove and turn on the low lights on the vent.

She grabs the first aid box they always keep at the bottom of the kitchen cabinets and takes the thermometer out. Her temperature reads 40• She sighs as she leans back on the counter and shuts her eyes. She doesn't want to spend the day off being sick.

Another lightning flashes before her. A window that's left opened in the living room rattles loudly as the wind picks up the speed. Nayeon knows it's only a matter of minutes before it begins to rain again. She opens her eyes when she hears soft footsteps approaching the kitchen.

A gasp of surprise leaves her when she realizes who the silhouette belongs too. Mina steps into the low light coming from the vent. The wind gathers more speed.

The younger girl tucks errand hair that's flowing around in the wind behind her ears.

Nayeon clears her throat and averts her eyes when their gaze meets for a heartbeat.

She glances through the corner of her eyes as Mina goes to the cabinets a little away from her, reaching for something in them.

Nayeon sees her eyes accidentally land on the reading on the thermometer. She quickly hides it behind her back.

The window begins to rattle even more loudly, the wind coming through it making a howling noise.

"You have a fever?" The words are barely a whisper.

Nayeon opens her mouth to say something but no words come out so she settles on gaping because Mina is actually talking to her.

She finally finds her voice after a few seconds of gawking and stutters no.

Mina steps closer to her, their fingers gently brushing as she reaches for Nayeon's hand behind her and brings it to the front to look at the temperature.

Outside, the sky suddenly opens with a loud roar. The smell of earth fills the room as the rain grazes the warm ground.

"It doesn't work properly." Nayeon lies.

Mina quirks a questioning brow at her.

Nayeon scratches the back of her neck. She only lied because she knows how worried Jihyo gets. Jihyo never leaves her side when she's sick. Nayeon wants the girl to enjoy her day off and not spend it babysitting a sick person.

Mina puts the thermometer down on the counter and leans a little closer.

The back of her hand brushes against the heated skin on Nayeon's forehead who closes her eyes at the featherlight touch.

"You have a fever Nayeon-chan." Mina breathes out as she withdraws her hand back slowly.

Nayeon hears the rain strum across the glass windows having its own musical concert whenever it lands on the surface matching the soft music in her heart when she hears Mina calling her Nayeon-chan again.

She opens her eyes. Another lightning strikes in distance and in the momentary brightness she catches Mina's eyes gazing at her softly.

"What are you doing here birthday girl?" They take a step back from each other when Chaeyoung appears in the kitchen.

Mina points at the thermometer on the counter.

"I swear to god Chaeyoungah don't even think about it." Nayeons sighs when she sees the younger girl smirk.

"Think about what? Telling Jihyo you mean?" The smirk becomes prominent and her dimples begin to show.

Nayeon side steps Mina and perches herself on one of the stools around the island.

Chaeyoung closes the rattling window so it's warmer in the house and sits down before Nayeon. She takes pity on the older girl who's coughing into a tissue. "I won't as long as you take your medicines on time."

"I smell hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows." Sana and Momo appear from behind the door suddenly giving Chaeyoung a good fright.

Nayeon turns to look behind her and Mina is stirring something in the pan. Only then she realizes how stuffy her nose is because even though she's in the kitchen she couldn't smell the food at all.

"You're having a party without us." Momo says accusingly as she joins Nayeon by her side.

Nayeon smiles warmly at her and points towards Mina. "She's making some for herself. It's not a party if it's for one."

Nayeon's forehead creaks in confusion when Mina places a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of marshmallows in front of her. She mumbles a polite thanks despite being puzzled.

"You really thought she's the type to make something just for herself?" Chaeyoung pokes her side and looks at Mina affectionately who's serving Momo and Sana their hot chocolates and marshmallows.

"Look it's raining." Momo points out excitedly and Chaeyoung rolls her eyes. It's been raining for quite a while now. She takes a sip of her hot chocolate hesitantly because she's not a big fan of them but lets out a sigh when the intoxicating smell and taste of coco assault her senses.

"Mina, you could make millions if you sold these." She tells Mina who is sitting down by her side after serving the girls. She has a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Thank you?" Mina says unsure of how to react to a compliment like that.

"She already makes millions dumbass." Sana teases and Chaeyoung gives her a meek grin.

Nayeon lets the warm hot chocolate soothe her throat that's swollen and aching. The marshmallows makes her sweet tooth happy and she's suddenly grinning like a child because she's reminded of her childhood. Her mother always made these for her when she got sick. "This is so good." Nayeon declares stuffing more marshmallows into her mouth.

Chaeyoung agrees with a nod of her head.

Mina has a soft smile on her face.

The rain has slowed down and its making a gentle pitter patter sound against the window.

Momo thinks everything is so calm and serene.

Two minutes later Chaeyoung has her hands on the collar of Nayeon's hoodie because she's stolen the last of her marshmallow and shoved it down her throat before the younger girl could even react.

"Chaeyoungah, you can't hit me. I'm sick." Nayeon groans loudly. An evil smile settles on her face when the younger girl reluctantly lets go off her hoodie with a sigh.

"You're sick?" Jihyo appears out of nowhere.

The smile on Nayeon's face gets wiped out.

Mina wants to laugh at how ashen her face looks but she doesn't.

Chaeyoung drops to the floor as her loud laugh fills the room.

Momo and Sana make a quiet escape into their room not wanting to be around when Mama Jihyo makes an appearance.

\-----------

Nayeon loves the spring. She loves the sight of flowers blooming and clear clouds drifting by. She loves the way birds chirp and sunlight peeks through her windows. She loves the petals and twigs that sway in their balcony along with the gentle breeze. At any other time she would enjoy this, but her mind is preoccupied with Jeongyeon.

The taller girl doesn't say a lot, but Nayeon knows the fire in her eyes has gone out as if someone doused it with ice cold water. They're empty and pained and it troubles her a bit. Nayeon tries cracking her usual jokes but she doesn't laugh. No matter what effort she makes Jeongyeon crawls right back inside some invisible shell and remains unreachable. Her heart aches like an insatiable fire is devouring her entire being leaving her empty.

Nayeon squeezes her eyes shut. When she opens them again and lowers her glance she finds Chaeyoung and Mina waiting for their taxi. Chaeyoung points at something at a distance in their line of vision and Mina throws her head back laughing. Nayeon welcomes the sight as a relief from the half formed regrets rattling her chest.

For that moment, the muscles in her neck relax, the tightness in her chest disappears and she feels calm.

Mina looks up, their gaze meeting accidentally. Nayeon should look away but she doesn't, she's too tired and drained to avert her eyes. They continue to stare brazenly into each other's eyes and Nayeon doesn't know how much time passes. It could have been seconds or minutes. She wants to look away because she's terrified the younger girl could see right through her, know all her fears and all the demons she's fighting.

Mina tears away her gaze when Chaeyoung taps her shoulder pointing at the opened door of the taxi.

Nayeon sighs softly as if a tension has lifted off her, yet left her with sorrow instead of relief.

"Oh my god, can you bring her back?" Jihyo asks Jeongyeon as she's the only one strong enough to restrain Nayeon.

They're in a club and Nayeon is drunk. She's arm wrestling strangers and quite a crowd has gathered around her. Dahyun and Sana are by her side cheering her on.

Tzuyu and Momo are dancing, completely unaware of the spectacle around them.

Mina is dozing off on Chaeyoung's shoulder.

"Fine." Jeongyeon huffs reluctantly and approaches the crowd.

Nayeon is challenging a tattooed man who's over six foot tall and egging him on. "Aww who's a cute little boy? Afraid I'll win the round?"

She thrashes around yelling she's going to murder Jeongyeon when the taller girl throws her over her shoulders and carries her fireman style to where Jihyo is before The Hulk could snap her arm like a twig in a wrestling match she is so passionately demanding.

"You're going to take care of Mina." Jihyo puts her in responsibility so Nayeon wouldn't wander off again. "And we are going to dance."

Nayeon folds her arms and slouches in the seat, sulking that they cut her fun short. Chaeyoung moves Mina's head to the side and lays it on Nayeon's shoulder who sighs and leans a little closer after a while to lay her head on top of Mina.

"Don't move." Chaeyoung warns knowing its difficult to get Nayeon to stay still in one place, especially when's she had a couple of drinks. "Don't leave her alone." Nayeon nods but Chaeyoung has a hard time believing her. She reminds herself to keep an eye on Mina from time to time.

"Maybe you should just stay with Mina." Jeongyeon whispers in Chaeyoung's ears when she sees the girl looking over her shoulders often. Chaeyoung turns to face Jeongyeon. Her intense dark eyes gleam in the neon lights flashing across the club. Her eyelashes are long and soft looking, so very feminine compared to the well defined features of her face.

Chaeyoung leans on her toes and whispers back, "I could, but then who's going to dance with you?"

Jeongyeon steps closer and Chaeyoung gives a small encouraging smile. "You're not going to step on my feet again right?" She wraps her arms around the older girl's neck and breathes into her ears.

She feels her shiver a little at their proximity. She hears Jeongyeon's loudly beating heart. "Maybe if you got a little closer, I couldn't." Jeongyeon husks into her hair. So Chaeyoung does, the beat of her heart matching Jeongyeon's and connects the length of their body, swaying to the music.

Nayeon is fast asleep on Mina, blissfully unaware of the downward spiral her life is getting sucked into.


	19. Chapter 19

The sky is clear and blue. Birds are chirping. The sun is out and warm. Nobody's home and Nayeon feels giddy like the kid in Home Alone. Chaeyoung and Mina are off to god knows where, Momo and Tzuyu are on a bowling date, Sana and Jihyo are buying groceries, Jeongyeon and Dahyun have gone to a reality show.

Nayeon turns the stereo on and decides to clean the house. Jeongyeon always cleans the mess in the dorm and for a change she wants to do something nice for her. After a while, she's done cleaning the rooms, sprayed air freshener, picked up the dirty clothes from the girls' rooms and decides it's time for her to take a shower. She peels off her trousers that's gotten dirty from all the cleaning and drags the laundry bag to the machine, wearing just her over sized white SpongeBob t shirt and her bright yellow SpongeBob girls' briefs.

Who let the dogs out

The stereo begins to pump. Nayeon who's in middle of the living room, picks up a dirty towel and twirls it over her head singing along, "who who who who who?"

The door opens with a slight creak but Nayeon is so engrossed in an impromptu dance duet with her towel, she doesn't notice four pair of eyes staring at her with amusement and laughter. When Nayeon completes her spin and her gaze lands at the door, her mouth drop opens and her eyes grow comically. She drops the towel, bows slightly and stutters, "Okachan, Otochan"

The older man bows back and his lips curl into a teasing smile.

"Nayeon-tan", he chuckles and points a finger at her, "You're still in your underwear."

Nayeon's cheeks are kissed pink like a rose, the color adorable on her baby soft skin. She quickly grabs the towel from the floor and wraps it around her waist. "I'll be right back." She runs to get to her room and in her rush trips over the tea table and falls face first on the carpet.

"Oh my god, look at what you did." Mina's mother admonishes her husband for teasing the younger girl. She helps the younger one up and watches as she holds the towel steady with a hand, petrified it's going to drop and she's going to be in her underwear again. Her heart does the familiar tug whenever she's around Nayeon.

"Come here." She wraps the flushed girl in a warm and comforting motherly hug who finally relaxes and lets out a soft sigh.

"I got all that on camera." Chaeyoung whispers to Mina who's biting her lips so hard trying not to laugh Chaeyoung is sure it's going to bleed. "Anyway, why do they always call her Nayeon-tan?"

"Tan is reserved for babies." Mina says gazing softly at her mother who is now rubbing the reddish spot forming on Nayeon's forehead with a worried face.

Chaeyoung's eyes twinkle with mirth. An apt title she thinks, for the biggest baby she's ever known. Jeongyeon follows a close second.

Later that night, all the girls are gathered in the kitchen helping Mina's parents who insist they make dinner for them. Chaeyoung stays by their side wanting to impress them. She knows how tight Mina is with her parents and wants them to have a good impression on her.

"Myoui-San," She address the friendly older man who is making the meringue for the cotton cheese cake. Next to him Mina adds the ingredients as he instructs. "Can I help you with the dessert?"

Mina's father throws a fond smile at his wife and the younger girl sitting on the kitchen counter next to her. Nayeon is slightly bouncing and often says something that makes his wife throw her head back and laugh. "Thank you Chaeyoung. I think you should because Nayeon-tan is stealing the dough and my wife is too smitten with her to notice."

"Otochan I'm not stealing, I'm taste testing." Nayoen grins at him.

"And how do you rate it?" His wife questions eagerly.

"It's extraordinary." Nayeon declares, "Just like the woman who made it."

Mina's father watches as his wife turn ten different shades of red at the compliment and swoons like a school girl with a crush.

"First the dough, now my wife." He laughs. "Go get your own girl Nayeon-tan."

Mina's mother doesn't miss how Nayeon's bright smile falters just a little at the last words.

She doesn't miss how Mina averts her eyes from their direction and gazes at Chaeyoung. She doesn't miss the crestfallen look on her daughter's face. She doesn't miss the anguish in the beautiful eyes of her lovely Mina. At the end of the night she holds her hands and looks searchingly into her eyes. "If anytime any of this gets overwhelming, just come back home darling."

Mina blinks backs her tears. "I will Mama." She falls into the opened arms willingly, letting her wipe away all the pain momentarily.

\------------

Jeongyeon's not sure if she should stay at the dorm. She puts her jacket on and walks to the door ready to head out.

"Where are you going?" Chaeyoung's voice halts her.

She wants to say she's going to a cafe or something but she's afraid the younger girl would see through her lies. She settles for a little truth instead, "Just need some fresh air to clear my mind."

Chaeyoung tilts her head and her forehead creases with confusion. Lately it feels like the taller girl has been going out of her way to put some distance between them and it bothers her more than it should. "Why is it that I feel like the people I care about are always running away from me?"

Jeongyeon opens her mouth to say something but Chaeyoung cuts her off. "Don't answer that. I guess I'm just not worthy of anyone's love."

The hopelessness and utter despair in her voice is what changes Jeongyeon's mind. She shrugs off her jacket and slumps on the couch next to Chaeyoung.

"Want to get drunk?" She asks, trying to lighten the mood.

They watch a film in companionable silence for a while sipping on their vodka cocktails. Jeongyeon often glimpses to her side and watches Chaeyoung who's engrossed in the movie. Her face lighting up during lighter moments, her eyes twinkling as she laughs and her lips curving into an adorable pout when things go sour.

"You know it's not true what you said about not being worthy of love." Jeongyeon mutters under her breath, the alcohol in her system giving the courage to blurt out what's on her mind. "Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Chaeyoung turns to her side at the random declaration and their eyes for a strange reason lock on to each other like magnets. "Do you really think that?"

Jeongyeon nods as she strokes the younger girl's cheek with her thumb delicately.

"Look at you." Jeongyeon breathes. Her mind is yelling at her to stop, but she has no control over her heart because Chaeyoung is moving in closer for some reason and her willpower is dying fast and hard. "You have your own sense of style, you're smart and you know what you want."

Chaeyoung swallows thickly as her eyes search into the older girl's gaze. "What if I am not sure about what I want?"

"What do you want?"

Chaeyoung licks her suddenly dry lips, her heart begins to pound slowly in her chest. She's not sure if it's the vodka or the whispered words that's spinning her world. "I don't know anymore."

Jeongyeon's thumbs moves to caress the corner of her mouth making Chaeyoung's breath hitch.

"Only one way to know." Chaeyoung is not sure who leans in first. She's not sure who closes the gap between them. One thing she's sure that this is not love, it's a moment of weakness to feel loved that she cant resist. She can't fight against the older girl's smell that's flooding her senses now. Their lips brush against each other, hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. She wants to pull away because this is wrong. She likes Mina and Jeongyeon loves Nayeon. She needs to stop before she loses herself but she can't seem to.

"Chaeyoungah." The taller girl whispers into her mouth slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savour them.

Chaeyoung's heart flutters at her voice as she clasps her hands on either side of her face. Her name sounds wonderful rolled out like that and starts a slow burning heat deep inside her stomach.

They pull apart and take shaky, shallow breaths.

"You're so beautiful." Jeongyeon whispers against her lips and it knocks all the wind from the younger girl's lungs. She presses her tongue to the seam of the older girl's lips and delves inside her mouth. Her arms reach up and tangles around her strong neck. She arches into her chest moaning at the contact of body heat against her own. She feels the faint taste of vodka and peppermint Jeongyeon always chews on with every push of her tongue against hers. She lies on her back and lets Jeongyeon's hand venture over her body, inquisitive and exploring. Chaeyoung lets out a whimper when the older girl kisses her way down to a particularly sensitive spot on her neck.

Jeongyeon works her way back to the tender, smooth and inviting lips. Chaeyoung inhales sharply as the older girl begins to nuzzle her neck again with delicate kisses. She urges herself to push away, but can't.

She knows she's reached the point of no return.

Clothes get removed, moans get mingled and their naked bodies move softly together, like the finest of silk.

A hand travels towards her center, their tongues entwined in a kiss, and then Jeongyeon's inside, changing her breathing with every thrust, sending her a little over the edge with every push, spinning her world on its axis.


	20. Chapter 20

Fuck fuck fuck. I want to kill her.

That's the only thing that's running through her head now and she can't help the faint flush when she remembers that fucking is exactly what she's done. It's been three days since the incident and she vividly remembers the conversation she's had with the older girl the morning after.

"It's no big deal. It's a drunken mistake right?" She asks Jeongyeon.

"Right!! A drunken mistake." Jeongyeon scoffs and Chaeyoung wonders if she imagines the hurt in her voice.

"You like Nayeon and I like Mina. Lets just pretend this never happened?" She asks, and the words leaves a bitter taste in her own mouth for some reason.

"Of course." It has been three long confusing and miserable days since those last words they said to each other and now all Chaeyoung wants to do is strangle Jeongyeon who has her arms wrapped around Nayeon, trying to grab the candies she has stolen from her bag.

"Nayeon, those are my emergency stash." Nayeon untangles the strong arms and shoves Jeongyeon away with her feet as she lays back on the studio chair. "But it is an emergency!! I'm hungry."

"Girls, you'd be airing in ten minutes. Stop fighting." Their manager yells from across the studio.

More like stop with your stupid mating ritual. Chaeyoung thinks to herself with faint annoyance.

"Both of you stop." Jihyo drags Jeongyeon by the collar of her shirt away from Nayeon and grabs the bag of candies shoving it into Mina's hands knowing they'd never fight her for it.

The Radio interview begins and after the initial questions about their upcoming music video and promotional activities, the topic turns to their personal lives.

"What is your ideal type in a guy Chaeyoung?"

Chaeyoung glimpses at Mina who catches her eyes and gives a gentle smile.

"Someone I can be myself with, understands me and supports me." Chaeyoung doesn't break the glance. "Also someone who's calm and mature." She emphasizes on the last word giving Jeongyeon a dirty look.

Mina looks away when she finishes the answers but Chaeyoung feels Jeongyeon's eyes on them. She ignores it pointedly.

"Won't be easy." The host chuckles. "What's your type Mina?"

Mina looks at her hands shyly. "Playful, kind and should know how to make decisions."

"You're really close to your family right? Wouldn't that also be a criteria?" The host asks jokingly.

"Yes." Mina's voice is soft and warm as she looks at Chaeyoung who nods her head at her encouragingly to continue. "They should definitely get my parents' seal of approval."

Jeongyeon thinks Chaeyoung ticks all the box Mina has listed. The host switches to the other girls for the same questions and when Nayeon turns comes and she offhandedly says she wants someone who can give her candies and not take it away from her, Jeongyeon smacks her arm with a playful grin.

Chaeyoung's mild irritation grows bigger.

After the radio show is done Momo wants to go to a restaurant.

"I'm not hungry." Chaeyoung declares throwing a frown at Nayeon and Jeongyeon's linked hands.

Mina loops her arm around Chaeyoung and sighs. "I'm really tired as well. I'll go home with you."

Jihyo snorts and whispers to Jeongyeon. "They can just say they want to spend some time alone together."

Jeongyeon forces a smile on her face. "I'm in the mood for some karaoke. Who wants to go with me?"

Momo lifts her hand excitedly.

Tzuyu scoffs. "You said you were hungry."

Momo's face crumples into an adorable confusion. "I forgot about that."

In the end it's decided Nayeon, Tzuyu, Jihyo and Momo would go to the restaurant and Jeongyeon, Sana and Dahyun would go to the karaoke.

They walk to the entrance quietly and wait for their rides to arrive. It's pretty cold outside and the girls huddle up together to keep warm.

Jeongyeon is the first to leave with Sana and Dahyun.

When the next cab comes and Nayeon is about to get into it along with the other girls a tug on her coat stops her.

"Nayeon-chan." Mina's smile is warm and her eyes are soft.

"Minayah." Nayeon returns a soft smile of her own.

Mina tucks a lock of hair behind her ears and pulls something out of her bag. "You forgot this."

Nayeon's eyes twinkle with glee and her lips quirk up in the brightest of smile as she glances at the bag of candies in Mina's hand.

\---------------

Sana glances warily at the pair. Something is odd because her intuition and common sense are telling her it's peculiar that Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung are not bickering with each other and are actually watching a film in silence. It's even more odd that they're stealing glances at each other when the other person is not looking.

Mina doesn't miss it either. She pretends she doesn't see it. She thinks if she ignores the reality, maybe the dull ache in her heart would go away.

Nayeon watches Jeongyeon whose eyes are fixed on the television. But her gaze is empty and blank like her mind is elsewhere and Nayeon knows where exactly it is. She glances at Chaeyoung who's looking at Jeongyeon through the corner of her eyes. Nayeon feels her throat tighten and the muscles in her neck stiffen. Her head hangs low, heavy with the dark thoughts occupying them. 

When she looks back up, she catches Mina's eyes. They look pained just like hers but what throws her off balance is the faint hint of concern flickering behind those warm brown eyes. She smiles reassuringly and averts her eyes cursing herself for letting the mask slip even if for a moment.

When Mina calls her mother that night, she lets out a sob she's been holding and lets the grief wash over her as her mother whispers words of comforts in her ears. Nayeon hears the muffled sobs coming from behind closed doors as she goes to the kitchen. Her shoulders sag defeatedly as she puts the glass of water down in the sink, leaving it untouched.

The pattern doesn't change.

She feels Jeongyeon pull away little by little, not just from her but from everyone. She feels Chaeyoung grow quieter by day. She hears Mina's gut wrenching sobs at night when everyone's sleeping.

And there's nothing she can do to fix this.

Because even though everyone thinks she's the strongest person of the group, always cracking jokes even in the hardest of moments and hangs on to her words and cling on to her for comfort because of the happy go lucky persona she wears, they don't know it's a just a distraction from seeing the real her, a person just as vulnerable and fragile as them with a heart that's been broken and shattered a million times but carefully put back together because the cruelty of life is it has to go on.

A heart that longs to fly again, stretch it wings and soar, but stays drowning and suffocating in the darkness that's all consuming.

Halbi, why do you say I have the brightest eyes when they're so dark? She remembers asking her grandfather when she was young.

Because my darling, darkness doesn't mean absence of light, it just means there's a lot of light that's absorbed.

I have a lot of light in me? Her eyes had widened.

Always have and always will.

She remembers it like yesterday how he had kissed her forehead and said those words with determination. She wishes he was around to give her back that faint sliver of hope, to tell her she's won't drown in darkness because she carries the light inside.

Sleep doesn't come easy to her that night.

"Hurry up. We are going to be late." Jihyo yells at the girls who are falling and stumbling all over the living room in the rush to look for their footwear and socks. It's like a bloody Armageddon every time they step out. She lets out a frustrated sigh wondering why they always look for their socks last minute like a bunch of kids.

"Yo, I found one with a bunny and one with a penguin." Momo dangles two socks in her hand.

Mina and Nayeon who've been searching for the missing pair quickly take it from her hand and slip it on their feet afraid Jihyo is going to go on another rant again. When they finally make it to the press event, a rude journalist has the audacity to ask Jihyo why she looks the oldest when she's younger than Nayeon.

Nayeon steps on his feet accidentally on the way out after the conference. When he lets out a loud groan and winces in pain she smiles sweetly at him and says, "I'm so sorry, the sun in my face is blinding."

Tzuyu sniggers behind her hand because it's dark outside.

Jihyo looks at Nayeon like she is the one who brings the sun up every morning.


	21. Chapter 21

Dahyun is gobsmacked. There aren't a lot of things that stuns or leaves her speechless, her tolerance for shocking things has always been so high that it actually shocks others, but for the first time in her life her brain feels fried and is unable to process the information it just received. "I don't understand, I thought you liked Nayeon."

Jeongyeon stares at the ripple caused by the stone she has just flicked into the lake. The stone skips a few times and drowns in the huge body of water around it.

"Do you realize how fucked up this is?" She continues when she doesn't get a response. "Did you think about Mina for a second?"

Jeongyeon throws another stone at the lake.

"I can't believe you would do this to her." Dahyun's patience finally wears thin so she pulls the older girl to turn around and face her. The tears welled behind those normally composed eyes is what unarms her. She stops her tirade and pulls her against her body in a warm and comforting hug. A quote about how everything is fair in love and war rattles around in her head as she continues to hold the taller girl in her arms.

"I think Mina deserves to know the truth." Dahyun rubs Jeongyeon's hand with her thumb in a soothing motion as they walk back to the dorm.

"I can't decide for Chaeyoung." Jeongyeon sighs.

"You can't, but you can try." So she does. She corners Chaeyoung after a stage performance in her dressing room and tells her that they should tell Mina about what happened.  
Chaeyoung's mocking laughter and the cruel words she utters after that cements her belief that the younger girl would never feel anything for her.

"First Nayeon and now you? Why are you both hell bent on destroying my happy ending?"

Jeongyeon hangs her head low and stares at her feet. "Don't you think the girl you want a happy ending with deserves a little truth?"

"Why would I want to ruin my chances with her by telling her about a meaningless fuck?"

The words knock the wind out of her and throws her off balance. She quickly masks the flicker of pain in her eyes with a blank expression as she looks up and hold the younger girl's gaze. "Meaningless or not, she deserves to know. You don't lie to someone you claim to like and want to go after."

Chaeyoung's demeanor softens as she steps towards the taller girl whose wounded eyes and defeated stance troubles her. They are friends, she has no rights to talk about her like she's some random person she hooked up with. "I didn't mean it that way."

Jeongyeon takes a step back. "It's fine Chaeyoungah. It was a drunken mistake after all. It's not like we like each other."

This time the words slap Chaeyoung across the face. She watches in silence as the taller girl disappear behind the curtains, leaving her alone in the room with her thoughts and regrets. When they make dinner together that night at the dorm, and Chaeyoung's arms accidentally brushes across Jeongyeon's when they reach for something at the top of the cabinet and she feels Jeongyeon tense and pull away, the need to get closer to her is so overwhelming that she almost forgets Mina is also in the kitchen.

"Did I just see Nayeon jump off the balcony?" Tzuyu wonders out aloud.

Jihyo's face turns cold and she rushes to the balcony only to find Nayeon crouching down on the wide ledge on her trembling legs to retrieve something from the cemented floor. The girls behind her let out a collective sigh of relief.

Tzuyu is in the living room chewing on her candy bar giving zero fucks about the commotion around her.

"Are you trying to kill us all?" Jihyo has been going off on a rant for about ten minutes now. Nayeon is bored and flickers her gaze often to Jeongyeon who grins back at her. "Living with you is like living with a three year old spiked on energy drink."

"What were you even doing there?" Jeongyeon covers her mouth and whispers in secret not wanting to be caught by Jihyo who's busy pacing back and forth the living room.

"I found this glittering in the dark." Nayeon opens her palms and inside them is the diamond ring Jeongyeon has lost about over a year ago and had given up hopes of finding it ever again. It's a gift from her older sister who's gotten it for her with her first pay. A gift that meant the world to her.

"You know I love you right." Jeongyeon kisses the girl's cheek affectionately.

"I know." Nayeon bumps her head with hers softly.

"Why are you always trying to throw yourself over balconies every time I see you?" Jihyo continues recalling a moment from their trainee days and how she had to save Nayeon from falling off the rail less balcony at their old studio.

"How long do you think she'd be at it?" Momo asks Tzuyu.

"Ten more minutes." Tzuyu states with confidence.

"If she catches Nayeon-chan smiling like an idiot with Jeongyeon, it could add another ten minutes." Dahyun exclaims glancing at the pair on the couch giggling secretly like a bunch of kindergarten kids.

"She has no shame." Sana remarks as Nayeon quickly puts on a serious face when Jihyo turns to look at her in between her long winded rant. "But that's so badboyish it makes her hotter." She swoons.

"You're just gay for her." Dahyun laughs.

"Aren't we all?" Momo sighs staring at Nayeon who's wearing an oversized black sleeveless Transformers T-shirt, a Ben10 watch and blue cotton shorts.

"Bad boy my ass, you are all just simping." Tzuyu snorts, "She looks like a fucking baby with that short bob."

Momo elbows her. "You're just jealous, her big hands are alone enough to make my heart flutter."

"Ha!! I knew it was you who wrote that letter!!" Sana grins victoriously.

Jihyo is still ranting.

Mina clears her throat as she turns to her side to look at Chaeyoung. "We have a dinner to take care of."

Chaeyoung stops staring at Jeongyeon and goes back to the kitchen wearing a relieved expression on her face that the bunny in their dorm is still alive.

\--------------

Mina watches from the window of her room as the rain falls down constantly like an endless bucket of water being poured down from the heavens. The sound of thunder rolls through the area as another lightning bolt splits the sky. The sound might be terrifying to some, but it's soothing to her ears as it drowns our every other noise in her head. She folds an arm across a chest that rises and falls more abruptly than it should.

"You don't even like rainy weather, so why do you always stare at the rain?" Mina halts in the living room when she hears Sana's voice near the balcony.

"It reminds me of someone." Nayeon's troubled voice answers quietly.

A lump forms in Mina's throat and tears that she has managed to control threaten to release. She remembers her first day at Sixteen. She remembers the aroma of coffee in the building, she remembers Chaeyoung's cheerful face as she bumped into her and almost knocked her off. She remembers how the rain was swooshing down around them. She painfully remembers a lot of things from that day she'd rather forget.

She quietly shuts the door to her room not wanting to interuppt their conversation as the rain begins to fall even harder like the angels are crying. The merciless rains falls without break all through the night and the roads bear a striking resemblance to shallow rivers by the early morning hours.

"Manager called. Said our outdoor shoot is cancelled and we can just chill today." Jihyo announces making the girls let out a squeal of delight. It's not often they get a day off and it's even more rare that all of them are together on such occasions.

"I'm going back to sleep." Nayeon pulls the hat on her white Donald Duck hoodie over her head and yawns loudly.

"No." Momo jumps on her and tackles her to the floor. "We're spending the day together."

"Okay?!!"

"We can bake cookies."

"It's five in the morning."

"And cakes."

"Fine."

"When?"

"Once you get off on top of me."

Momo gets up reluctantly not before planting a loud wet kiss on her face. Nayeon laughs because the younger girl reminds her of an excited little puppy.

The rain continues to pour. It's dark and gloomy outside. But inside the dorm, there's a joyful and cheerful spirit that lingers and heals. When it's the nine of them together, things are always lighter. And whatever baggage they carry on their own disappear at least for the moment.

Jeongyeon winks at Nayeon conspiratorially when Sana walks out of the kitchen with a tray of hot and piping chocolate chip cookies. Nayeon throws a fake spider at her, making her drop the tray to the floor and run around the apartment screaming for help. The pair of them double over in laughter until Jihyo steps in front of them with hands on her hips.

"She did it." They point at each other.

Chaeyoung muffles a laughter when she walks into the kitchen and sees Jeongyeon cleaning every inch of the surface with a pout on her face. A huge ass fake spider sits and stares from her head because Jihyo decided that's a fitting punishment for the prank they pulled.

Nayeon is on the kitchen stool, her head hanging low and feet tapping the floor incessantly.

'You're not allowed to move from this spot for an hour' Jihyo has warned her and Chaeyoung thinks that's the biggest punishment for someone who can't stay still for more than a second.

"Are you done?" Chaeyoung hugs Mina from the back who's preparing the fresh batch of cookies.

"Almost." Mina turns to her side and smiles at her.

Jeongyeon's pout disappears and her lips curve into the smallest of smiles when Chaeyoung takes the kitchen cloth from her hand and shoves a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in her hand. "I'll clean for a bit, have them while it's hot." When Jeongyeon is done with the cookies and cleaning all of them settle down on the couch in the living room to watch The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Except Nayeon who still has twenty minutes to endure. A plate of cookies that Dahyun has dropped on the table lays untouched by her side. 

"It's her favorite film." Dahyun tries weakly but is silenced by Jihyo's warning glare.

"She's not even eating her cookies. She must be hungry." Momo sniffs into Tzuyu's shoulder whose eyes roll skywards but holds her dramatic ass comfortingly nonetheless.

The rain falls harder making a loud drumming noise against the windows, it almost drowns out the sound of the film.

"It was raining non stop like this when I first met her." Jeongyeon recalls fondly as she gazes at the window.

Mina glances at the battering rainfall. Although the weather looks melancholic, she thinks there's something innately romantic about rain. It connects people and brings them together in a way nothing else could.

"Who?" Sana prods curiously.

Jeongyeon points a finger at Nayeon who has her face rested on her hand and drawing imaginary patterns on the wooden island.

"Make her eat her cookies, please?" Jihyo asks Mina with her pleading eyes. It's almost eleven in the morning and she knows the girl can't bear hunger. And Mina is the only one nobody in the band would say no to.

Five minutes later Nayeon is taking a sip of her warm hot chocolate and shoving her face with cookies and when Jeongyeon catches her glance she points to Momo with her twinkling eyes and pats her pocket. 

Jeongyeon hides a laughter behind her hand masking it as a cough when she sees the tail of a toy snake hanging from Nayeon's shorts.


	22. Chapter 22

Dreams are a strange place, because the only limits that exist in your dreams are your own and you can push those boundaries without caring about repercussions, exploring places in your mind you may not dare step into in real life, satiating your desired hunger. But there's a thin line between dream and reality that brings the imaginary world crashing down. A line that shouldn't be crossed when you're having an extraordinary dream.

So when Mina grips her sheets and a strangled moan leaves her body, as the expert hand in her dream cups her between her legs and she wakes up with her chest heaving hard and fast, a blush covering her from head to toe, a heat burning down below, she wishes she hadn't stepped the line into reality and another fierce blush coats her entire body.

"Look who's risen from the dead." Sana chuckles as Mina walks into the living room wearing her short night shirt.

The rain hasn't stopped pelting and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. Mina goes to get herself a glass of water from the fridge for her dry throat. In the kitchen, Jihyo is smacking Nayeon's hands away as she tries to steal the cake dough. When she turns around to put the whipper in the sink, Nayeon quickly dips her fingers in the cake dough and grins victoriously. Jihyo shakes her head, it is her fault asking the food thief to help with the baking anyway.

"This is so good." Nayeon licks the dough off her fingers slowly, savouring every bit of it.

Their attention is drawn by a soft yelp and Sana's concerned voice in the living room.

"Are you okay?" Nayeon watches with worried eyes as Sana rubs a tender spot on Mina's head. She must have walked into the fridge door in her sleepy state.

A loudly ringing bell distracts all of them.

"Mr.Roi is here." Momo runs to the door and greets the man whose raincoat is drenched from head to toe. She offers him a cup of coffee but he politely refuses as he has another customer to serve. It's not the first time he's been offered a drink here but it's the first time he has to refuse. Rainy weather meant a lot of pizza orders.

He chuckles as Momo pouts that he is going to be cold. He assures her he's wearing warm clothes under the raincoat, hands her the boxes of pizzas and is on his way out bidding bye to all the girls who chorus a bye back at him. To everyone else they're celebrities, but for someone like him who's served them for many years, they're the sweetest bunch of kids who remind him of his own daughters.

"I told you no pineapples on my pizza." Nayeon loves Momo, she really does but there are times she wants to cover her face in a paper sack and strangle her because when she's looking at her with big doe eyes and adorable puppy dog expression, she can't seem to hold on to her frustration.

Momo tilts her head and frowns in confusion. It's not her fault Nayeon and Mina ordered the half of same pizza. She didn't want pizza guys to have a hard time putting pineapples on one half so she said pineapples on the whole pizza.

She tells Nayeon that.

Nayeon softens and chuckles at the childlike logic behind her behavior.

"Just give her the pineapples you don't want." Momo pushes an unprepared Nayeon next to Mina on the couch. She quickly withdraws her hands when they land on Mina's bare thighs in order to steady herself and mutters an apology under her breath. Mina doesn't even spare a glance. She pushes the pizza box to her side as Nayeon settles down to sit next to her.

"Nayeonnie, try this." Chaeyoung who's sitting on the other side of the quieter girl offers a slice of her pizza.

Nayeon makes a face when the goat cheese leaves a pungent taste in her mouth. She scowls at Chaeyoung who is giggling away at the look on her face. She grabs the bottle of coke from the coffee table and drinks from it to make the bitter taste to go away.

Mina bites into a piece of pineapple that Nayeon has picked from her slice and left behind. The juice slides down from her lower lips and her quick tongue peeps out to lick it before it drips down to her chin.

Two seconds later, Jeongyeon who's sitting by Nayeon's feet is wiping her wet hair with a tissue. Nayeon has just sputtered out half the bottle of coke on top of her.

"This is why you should drink from a glass and not from the bottle like a Neanderthal." Chaeyoung snorts as she watches Jeongyeon chase Nayeon around the apartment ready to kill her.

\---------------

She always gets sick when they're about to release a new music video. Her overworked vocal chords ache from the swelling and straining. "Try lemon and honey." Jeongyeon pushes a mug before her.

"I can take care of myself." She pushes the mug back. "Nayeon is sick too, you should go be with her."

Jeongyeon wonders if she imagines the jealousy in her voice. She shakes the thought away. Chaeyoung has made it very clear she was just a meaningless fuck and her heart belonged to Mina. "I've already given her some."

Chaeyoung scoffs. "Yep, have to take care of the girlfriend first right."

Jeongyeon decides she's had enough with the sarcasm dripping from the younger girl. "You know what, drink it or chuck it in the sink. I don't give a fuck."

Chaeyoung grasps her wrists and tugs her closer. "You did give a fuck."

When she sees no reaction behind those steely eyes, she leans closer to her ears and drawls, "a very good one at that."

Jeongyeon bolts out of the there faster than a lightning on a dark night holding a steadying hand to an erratically beating heart.

Chaeyoung bites back a fond smile taking a sip of the warm lemon and honey tea as she sees the taller girl stumble out of the kitchen.

What is love to you? A listener asks the radio host.

It should hit you unexpectedly. It should bring all your carefully constructed ideas and plans of love come crashing down. It should keep you on your toes, send a spark through every single cell of your being. It should leave you breathless and yet breathe life into you.

The host continues to explain to the listener tuned in.

Chaeyoung stares at the direction Jeongyeon has disappeared.

She feels her heart flutter in her chest in a way it has never done with Mina. For the first time in six months she wonders if what she has with Mina is just an infatuation and what she has with Jeongyeon is something deeper, something scarily matching the description she just heard on the radio.

'You're so obsessed with the idea of being in love Chaeyoungah. You've created this whole fairytale scenario in your head with Mina that you'd be too blind to see even if true love is right in front of you.'

Jeongyeon's anguished words rattle around in head.

These butterflies in her stomach that's trying to devour her, this intense feeling in the pit of her stomach that makes her dizzy and weak in the knees when her eyes meet those cool brown ones, has this insane chemistry always been there between them? Has she been too blinded by what she thought was her chance at love and let the real one slip right through her fingers?

Her heart clenches painfully when she realizes it doesn't matter what she thinks, Jeongyeon has made it clear where her feelings lay.

'It's fine Chaeyoungah. It was a drunken mistake after all. It's not like we like each other.'

The words echoes in her ears, taunting her, squeezing her chest with an intensity that threatens to suffocate her. Jeongyeon might not like her, but she's pretty sure for the first time in her twenty one years she is in love. She always thought love was a long process and maybe it had been a long process to get to the realization it's love, but it had jumped on her unexpectedly and has toppled her world over without making any grand announcements.

"Fuck my life." She slaps a hand to her forehead as she comes to terms with the epiphany she just had.

I am in love. With Jeongyeon.

"I am so in love with you."

Chaeyoung snaps her head to where Nayeon's sick nasal voice is coming from.

Mina bites her lips trying to hold back a smile. Her eyes are teary and her lips are quivering as she holds a laughter in.

"Look at you. You're so hot!! Damn, look at those biceps, they're strong and attractive!"

Mina catches Chaeyoung's eyes and gives her a bright gummy smile.

"You should wear sleeveless more often. I'd totally date you."

Jeongyeon shushes both of them quietly and goes to record Nayeon talking to herself in front of the mirror.


	23. Chapter 23

Nayeon stares at her reflection in the dressing room mirror and the image staring back at her shocks her. Because inside she's aching and longing for her, an ache that gnaws at her heart that's struggling to beat with every passing day. But outside her plump lips are pulled into a smile that could easily fool anyone into thinking she's the picture of sunshine and happiness. "Momo, can you help me button this up?" She extends her arm to the younger girl who pulls the sleeves down and tries to button the half sleeved white cotton shirt.

Momo feels her biceps ripple through the shirt and says dreamily. "You've really been hitting the gym, yeah?"

"Momo, your gay is showing." Dahyun snorts.

"I cut my nails, so it's kind of hard to button. Mina, can you help her please?" Momo sighs dejectedly and pulls the unsuspecting girl who's checking her make up in the mirror, the sudden tug causing Mina to come to an abrupt halt in front of Nayeon.

Nayeon smiles apologetically at her. Mina clears her throat and lowers her gaze to smooth down the sleeves against the soft yet strong muscles of the older girl. "It's done." Mina looks up and sees Nayeon's eyes are already on her.

"Thank you." She pulls her arm back and turns to leave.

"Nayeon-chan?"

Nayeon turns around and her eyes catches Mina's again. "Yes?"

Mina looks at her for a long second as if contemplating if she should ask what's on her mind.

"Are you ready for the shot?" Chaeyoung steps between them and kisses Mina's cheeks.

Mina flushes slightly and goes back to applying her makeup.

Nayeon thinks it is cute that they blush around each other like high school kids for a simple peck on cheeks.

The thunder begins to roar that night. Nayeon gazes out the window wondering when it's going to rain again.

"It's weird."

Nayeon turns to look at Sana. The girl says the oddest things at times. "What's weird?"

"Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung used to be really close in their trainee days like you and Mina. And now they're not even talking to each other."

Nayeon stares at the distant lighting light up the dark sky. 

Sana continues as if she is talking to herself more than talking to Nayeon. "We always pull away from the things that hurts us."

Nayeon can't refute that because there's an undeniable truth behind those words.

"Do you think they're going to be okay?" Her voice is full of concern and worry.

Nayeon lets out a deep breath she doesn't know she's been holding. "They will be."

She drags Jeongyeon to a corner of the studio the next day and blurts, "Do you love her?"

Jeongyeon's calm composure is rattled a bit by the random question but she quickly collects herself and lets out a dry laugh. "What does it matter?"

"It matters because you deserve to have your happy ending too."

"What about Mina?" 

Nayeon blinks back tears. It's not just Mina's heart that's going to be broken. "She deserves to know the truth." Nayeon echoes Dahyun's sentiments.

"What if she never forgives me?"

"We all have to learn to live with certain things Jeongyeon."

When Mina lays in her bed that night, she recollects the days she used to be carefree and happy. All those memories revolves around one face that haunts her every waking moment. A face that she's sure she would never forget for an eternity. She wakes up the next day and comes face to face with Chaeyoung who steps out of the shower with a hardened face instead of the usual cheerful smile she wears.

Her heart clenches painfully in her chest.

"I'm sorry I think I finished the hot water." Chaeyoung sighs.

Before Mina could reply, Nayeon shoves Chaeyoung to a side and walks past them to the shower with a kettle in her hand.

"Is she going to make tea in the bathroom?" Chaeyoung wonders out loud amusedly. Nobody knows what Nayeon is capable of doing.

Mina stays out of the shower for a while since Nayeon has decided to treat it like a tourist spot.

She smiles softly and her hand lingers on the older girl's arm for a heartbeat when Nayeon approaches her after twenty minutes and casually says, "I've filled the tub with hot water. You can have your bath now."

\---------------

Dahyun almost falls off the stool she's perched on when she hears Nayeon's high pitched squeal that's soon followed by a string of curses.

"Is she doing some kind of religious chant in the shower?" Sana asks in between bites of her croissant.

"I somehow doubt motherfucking son of a dinosaur's shit is a part of any religious chant." Jeongyeon replies coolly.

When Nayeon steps out of the bathroom shivering, her teeth incessantly chattering, hair dripping and glistening with water, cheeks rosier than normal they all burst into laughter. "You spent twenty minutes filling the tub with an electric kettle, but couldn't take two seconds to check if the hot water is back on?" Chaeyoung cackles.

Nayeon is about to give her the finger but a sneeze interrupts her classy behaviour.

"Jihyo is going to bite your head off when she comes back." Dahyun's tone walks the line between playfulness and concern.

Nayeon ignores them pointedly and sneezes into her arms. She pulls a pair of winter socks on her feet and goes to her room to find a hair dryer. She fumbles through the drawer searching and groaning when she can't find it.

"It was in my room." Mina speaks from the door in her soft and measured voice.

Nayeon glimpses to her side and shakes her head when she sees the dryer in Mina's hand. Sana must have taken it. She's about to take the ten steps to the door when surprisingly Mina walks in instead and tugs on her shirt pointing to the bed, indicating her to sit down.

Nayeon nods and follows the wordless order. Her throat too dry from the cold to be able to find her voice.

"Nayeon-chan, your hair is still too wet for a dryer." Her voice is a breathy explosion of words as she takes the towel from around Nayeon's neck with her hands and softly starts to weave them through the soaked hair in fluttery, gentle movements. Nayeon feels her face flush from the cold, even though the shivering has completely died down.

Mina is sitting on her knees before her, her beautiful eyes focused and trained on drying her wet lump of a hair.

As if sensing eyes on her, she catches Nayeon's gaze and stills.

Nayeon watches as a soft shy smile grazes her dazzling face. She knows Mina doesn't usually invade anyone's personal space, especially hers. But here she is, willingly, so close to her they could almost feel each other's breath on their faces.

Nayeon sighs because if she hadn't gone and done something stupid once again, Mina wouldn't be in this situation, forced to baby her despite her obvious discomfort at the proximity. She lowers her gaze, leans away and takes the towel back from the younger girl's hands. "It's almost done, I guess I can use the dryer now."

Nayeon sees a flicker of emotion behind those kindly brown eyes. It's quickly masked by a neutral expression before she can understand the meaning behind it. She watches as the younger girl nods, gets off the floor and leaves the room shutting the door quietly behind her.

Nayeon releases a soft breath.

After she's done drying she throws an oversized woollen jumper over her head and slips on a pair of thick and warm blue trousers.

"You look huggable." Momo declares and two minutes later she proves she isn't lying because she's laying on top of Nayeon on the couch.

"You're going to catch a cold too." Nayeon warns. 

Momo moves away reluctantly. "Fine, I'll go hug Mina. She too looks huggable in that bunny and baby chick sweater."

Mina who's making hot chocolate in the kitchen blushes brightly, her cheeks turning rosier when Momo hugs her from behind. Jihyo opens the door to the dorm with a cup of coffee in her hand. "The van would be here in ten minutes."

Nayeon muffles a cough as she glances at the watch. She's tired and sleepy but doesn't want to miss the online fan sign either.

"What do we do about her?" Jihyo's brows creases with concern. Because five minutes later Nayeon is fast asleep on the couch. She wants to let her sleep so she can recover before the music video debuts but Jihyo knows Nayeon would be upset if she misses the event with fans.

"Let her sleep in until the van comes." Jeongyeon shrugs. "I'll carry her, she weighs like a baby anyway."

And looks like one. Mina thinks to herself as she gazes softly in her direction.


	24. Chapter 24

Chaeyoung has had enough. She tries to talk to her, she leaves. She tries to corner her, she somehow slips away to be with the other girls. She can't seem to catch a break. Having no other choice, she puts the latch on the door and turn to face a Jeongyeon who looks ready to bolt.

"I only want two minutes." Chaeyoung states with determination.

Jeongyeon sighs heavily. She doesn't want to be caught in the room alone with Chaeyoung. They can't explain away why they've locked the door. And the girls would be back from their trip to the supermarket soon. "What's it Chaeyoung?" She drops the words in a frustrated grumble as she continues to avoid the younger girl's eyes.

Chaeyoung walks to her and lifts her face to meet her eyes. Jeongyeon meets the intense gaze and the words she's about to utter dies a quiet death in her throat. "I'm not drunk." The younger girl's voice is low and hoarse as she strokes with her thumb Jeongyeon's lower lips. "And I'm going to kiss you."

She doesn't wait for a response. She puts both her hands on each side of the older girl's face and pulls her, their lips meeting in a slow and passionate kiss. Like she wants to convey what she feels with the kiss instead of words. When they pull back and rest their forehead against each other, Chaeyoung's breathing deep and fast, Jeongyeon's smile slow and hesitant, Chaeyoung is pretty sure that this is love.

"You weren't just a meaningless fuck." She breathes into the older girl's lips who nods because she can't seem to find her voice. "You're so much more Jeongyeon."

Jeongyeon's heart flutters in her chest at the words spoken in quiet tones. "You mean so much more to me." Chaeyoung finishes, her eyes looking searchingly into the older girl as if to see if the emotions she feels are reflected back in them.

Jeongyeon is staring at her, her eyes soft and warm, a half smile on her face as she cups Chaeyoung's cheek who leans into the touch. "You mean so much more to me too."

Chaeyoung bites her lower lip and breaks into a dimpled smile. Jeongyeon's breath hitches in her throat at the simple action and she pulls her in for a hot and demanding kiss this time. An hour later, they're both rushing to look for the clothes they've hurriedly discarded. Because Nayeon for some reason decided to text Jeongyeon and let her know they'd be home in ten minutes.

"Where's my T-shirt?" Chaeyoung grumbles looking under the bed. She blushes when Jeongyeon wraps an arm around her middle and whispers in her ears, "Just wear mine."  
She shoves a new T-shirt she's gotten from the cupboard into her hands and watches with hungry eyes as the younger girl in her underwear slips them over her head.

She clears her throat to clear the cloud of arousal.

Chaeyoung rushes to unlatch the bed room door and sits on the couch with her sketch pad just as she hears the lift doors opening on their floor. When Jeongyeon walks past her to open the door, she tugs on her hand making her stumble and lays a wet peck on her lips.

"Don't tell me you've caught the cold too." Dahyun frowns at Jeongyeon whose cheeks look flushed.

Nayeon's watchful eyes swings back and forth between Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung is wearing a different t-shirt than the one she had on when they left and looks unusually shy and Jeongyeon is smiling too much. Her eyes flicker to Mina who has flung the grocery bags gently on the carpeted floor and has joined by Chaeyoung's side stretching her tired legs. She mentally thanks herself for sending the text to Jeongyeon. Her heart aches for Mina and the fucked up situation they're in. She wants to be happy for the two girls really but there's no denying that two hearts are going to get broken and it's definitely not Jeongyeon's or Chaeyoung's.

"I miss Momo and Sana." Dahyun gazes around the apartment which seems less cheerful because they aren't around.

"How's it that when other members aren't around everyone misses them but when I'm gone you're all just relieved?" Nayeon pouts.

Jihyo pinches her cheeks. "That's not true. Mina said she misses you when you were away for three days with your family."

Chaeyoung pats Mina soothingly on her back when she suddenly chokes on the water she's sipping.

\----------------

Mina saw this coming. She can't pretend to herself any longer because the reality is right in front of her. There's only so much illusion one can live in, the truth however difficult it might be to swallow, has to be accepted for the sake of one's own sanity.

"Jeongyeon put me down." Chaeyoung squeals as the older girl carries her towards the pond threatening to drop her in the water. The camera crew captures the happy moment carefully. Mina plasters a smile on her face because the lenses are watching and the crack in her shield can't be seen by them. She continues to walk with Jihyo exploring the long stretch of green forest surrounding them.

Nayeon who's skipping stones in the pond tells Jeongyeon to stop scaring the younger girl. She's smiling and talking but Mina sees that it doesn't really reaches her eyes. The twinkle in those elusive orbs are missing and her complexion looks paler than normal. The smile is so lifeless it scares Mina just to look at her. She wants to reach out and hold her hand because she can relate to this pain, she knows and is familiar with this dark place, she has felt more pain than any human could bear and it breaks her heart to see Nayeon go through the same.

When the camera stops rolling, the girls and the crew look around for a spot to have some food.

"Can we eat by the river?" Momo points to the muddy river bank, her face falling when Tzuyu explains why that's not the best place for a picnic.

Mina's eyes catches a beautiful wild flower hanging from a vine that's wrapped around a tree. The sweet, almost sickly smell of the yellow flower seems to cut through the soft scent of the dewy grass in the forest.

Chaeyoung notices what she's gazing at and asks in a soft tone, "It's beautiful right?"

"Yeah." Mina whispers in awe.

Tzuyu, ever the practical person and the voice of reason points out. "I wish I could get it for you but it's too high."

Mina smiles at her softly to show it's okay.

"Mina's always reaching for things beyond her grasp." Dahyun jokes because Mina has a habit of leaving her groceries on the top shelf where she can't reach.

Nayeon doesn't miss the light go out in Mina's warm eyes when she hears the words. She doesn't miss the tiny curve of her lips straighten into a thin line. She doesn't miss the flicker of pain on her beautiful face. When they finally find a spot and have their food, Nayeon's eyes flicker to where Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung are sitting side by side, their shoulders bumping, faces blushing when one of them says something, eyes twinkling as they talk and lips curving in shy smiles when they look at each other. She glances back at Mina who's quietly nibbling on her sandwich. Her heart twists painfully in her chest when she realizes she's not really eating at all.

"Where's Nayeon? God I am going to buy those child leash for her if I have to search for her one more time." Jihyo's voice is clipped and mildly irritated.

Fortunately for Nayeon, she makes an appearance just on time. Her face looks flushed, the rosy color on her cheeks more prominent and she's breathing hard like she'd been running. She rests her hands on the straps of backpack, and mutters an apology under her breath. Jihyo lets it slide because Nayeon looks beyond exhausted.

It's almost dark when they reach home. Mina applies night cream on her face and shuts the door to the bathroom softly. The full moon shines brightly outside the window, its light peeking through the glass and soaking the living room. Mina is about to go to her room when a soft voice stops her.

"Mina." The younger girl watches with her soft eyes as Nayeon bring her hand out to the front. In them, is the delicate bloom Mina found in the forest.

Nayeon extends her hand offering it to her.

Mina takes it and holds the flower in her fingertips so she doesn't crush it accidentally.

Nayeon watches in rapt attention as the brilliant yellow petals of the flowers bestows an unearthly glow on Mina's freckled face. She sees a small smile playing on the corner of her bee stung lips. She turns around to leave, content she was able to put a smile on her face, the pained expression wiped out at least for a moment.

A hand on her wrist stops her.

"Nayeon-chan." Mina looks at her, her eyes blinking back tears.

Nayeon briefly wonders if she had done the wrong thing.

But then Mina is softly smiling at her through those tears and leaning on her toes to leave a fluttering kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you." She hears her breath out.

Mina's eyes blink for a heartbeat of a moment and the dark brown orbs that's so intensely looking at Nayeon is covered by the shield of her long and soft looking eyelashes. Nayeon nods and steps back from the younger girl.

"Goodnight Mina." Her voice comes out raw and hoarse as she looks into the warm eyes of the younger girl.

"Goodnight." Mina whispers softly and watches with a fond gaze Nayeon disappearing behind the door of her room.


	25. Chapter 25

"Holyfuckingcowonaflyingpogostick" Sana spits it out as one word as she gapes at Nayeon. Nayeon who's leaning up to retrieve something from her cupboard, quickly pulls down her sweater.

"Please don't tell Jih-" She doesn't even get to finish her sentence because Sana is yelling and calling for her. Jihyo frowns as she takes a look at the pale skin that's purple, torn and bleeding near the ribs.

"How did this even happen?" She demands, her voice laced with concern and disappointment that Nayeon has somehow hurt herself again.

Mina has her arms crossed over chest and chews on her lips as Sana applies Betadine to the large bruise. Nayeon is about to utter a lie when Tzuyu interrupts. "Judging by the wild flower I saw in the vase in Mina's room, I bet Nayeon fell on her arse multiple times before she got it for her."

Nayeon hides her face with her hand and groans. She feels Mina's eyes on her and avoids it because she doesn't want to see the disappointment there. She only looks up when Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung stumble into the room. Chaeyoung's lipstick is smudged and Jeongyeon is wearing that shade on her lips.

"Mina." Nayeon stutters, wanting to grab her attention before the younger girl sees what she's noticed.

"Nayeon-chan." Mina comes to sit by her side and using that window of opportunity Nayeon narrows her gaze at Jeongyeon and points with her eyes to Chaeyoung's lips. Jeongyeon quickly wipes her lips on her sleeves and Chaeyoung fixes the smudge.

"Oww." Nayeon yelps as Sana stabs at the wound with more Betadine. Mina takes her hand and rubs soothing circles on it as Sana cleans the bruise and covers it with a bandage.

"This is why you disappeared yesterday." Dahyun exclaims.

"You're slow." Tzuyu chuckles dryly.

Nayeon doesn't dare look at Mina after that. She sulks and whines non stop when Jihyo declares she's not going to the restaurant with them. Jeongyeon pats her arms soothingly when one by one they filter out of the dorm to go for dinner.

"Hey, cheer up. I'm here to keep you company." She smiles at the older girl who sighs heavily when the door shuts before them.

Nayeon bites her lips as she looks for a way to start the conversation that's in her head. "Something you want to say?" Jeongyeon prods because she knows Nayeon like the back of her hand. She's only quiet when she's got something on her mind.

Nayeon inhales deeply as she turns to her side to look at Jeongyeon in the eye. "More like something you have to say. To Mina."

Jeongyeon slumps back on the couch, nibbling on her fingernails. "I'm not ready to break her heart."

"It's going to be broken anyway." Nayeon's voice is full of anguish and despair. For Mina and for herself. "It's better she hears it from you instead of finding it out herself."

The door opens and they stop the conversation when Mina walks in through the door. "You're not going for dinner?" Jeongyeon inquires.

"I changed my mind because I'm tired." Mina answers quietly, hanging her coat in the closet. "I'm going to make dinner for myself, do you want some?" She asks in her soft voice, as she sits on the chair and struggles to take off her heels.

Jeongyeon frowns at her. "You just said you're tired."

Mina flushes a little. "Tired to spend the night out. But not tired enough to make a meal."

Jeongyeon gets up from the couch, sits on her knees before Mina and untangles the straps on her heels. "I'll help you with dinner. Knowing that one over there, she'll call for handicapped rights for the next three days."

Nayeon throws a scowl in her direction. Jeongyeon blows her an air kiss in return. Mina goes to her room to get changed and comes back wearing a short night shirt. She stops midway to the kitchen and turns to look at Nayeon. Her voice is warm and affectionate as she asks, "Does black bean noodles sound good to you?"

Nayeon looks behind her back. There's no one there. Mina is definitely asking her. And blackbean noodles is definitely her favorite food. How could she say no to that?

She nods her head mutely.

"I prefer spicy noodles." Jeongyeon moans.

Mina shakes her head with a smile and pats the taller girl's cheeks. "I'll make that too."

Jeongyeon is overcome with guilt because Mina is being sweet and considerate and she's going to give nothing but pain in return.

"I love you Minayah." She says and hugs the girl who looks confused for a second but willingly hugs her back. Nayeon squeezes her eyes shut as a pain sears through her. The bruise in her ribs feels nothing compared to how bruised her heart is knowing what's going to come, knowing the inevitable.

\-----------------------

Chaeyoung takes a deep breath because she's about to do the bravest yet shittiest thing of her life. She looks to Jeongyeon as if to draw some invisible strength from her. Jeongyeon gives her a reassuring smile but Chaeyoung could see she's absolutely terrified too. She takes the taller girl's hand in hers and squeezes it gently getting a sigh in return. "No matter what happens, things aren't going to change between us." Chaeyoung hugs her and lays a gentle kiss on her chest.

Jeongyeon holds her tightly, and feels the tension leave her body. She's petrified that she might lose Chaeyoung in this mess, but the breathy words calm her and gives her the strength to do what they're about to do.

"Ready?" She asks, her hands shaking as she continues to hold the younger girl in her arms.

"No." Chaeyoung lets out a shaky breath as she pulls back and holds her hand. "But I am not ready to hide us either."

They walk through the door and seven pair of eyes look at them with emotions ranging from curiosity to pained and miserable. Jihyo frowns at their linked hands and wonders why they texted and asked for all the girls to be assembled in the living room. She doesn't like the niggling feeling at the back of her head.

"Jeongyeon and I have to tell you something." Chaeyoung starts hesitantly. When Jeongyeon squeezes her hand she takes a deep breath and continues, "Because you're like family and we don't want to lie to you anymore."

Nayeon briefly glances at Mina who's biting her lower lip so hard it's almost drawing blood.

"Chaeyoung and I are dating." Jeongyeon finishes it for her.

There's a deafening silence in the room.

Nayeon blinks back the tears in her eyes. She's not going to break down here, not in front of everyone. Mina glimpses at Nayeon for a second and sees the muscles of her chin tremble like a small child as she looks toward the window, as if the view outside could distract her from the pain.

"I'm sorry if this upsets any of you. I didn't mean for this to happen." Chaeyoung's voice is low as she speaks in quiet tones. "I didn't mean to fall in love. But I'm not sorry for falling in love."

Jeongyeon stares at Chaeyoung with wide eyes. She blinks away the surprise and turns to look at the younger girl. "You love me?"

Chaeyoung nods shyly, forgetting that they're in the living room for a moment as she continues to hold her gaze. "I don't know when or how that happened and maybe it's been a long time coming, but I love you."

Jeongyeon's eyes well with tears.

"I'm in love with you too. Always have."

Chaeyoung smiles back at her through her own set of tears.

Nayeon wants to be happy for them but there's an unrestrained nausea swirling in her stomach. She grips on the arms of the chair so tightly that her palms are sore and aching. She digs her nails on the wooden surface to give herself a firm grasp, to give herself some hope that everything is going to be okay. She is going to be okay.

Mina heart aches like someone placed a red hot coal in her chest, it throbs and tortures her and there's no relief to be found. She wills herself not to cry, but her eyes are pooling with unshed tears.

She glimpses to her side when she hears feet scraping on the floor. Nayeon walks to the door, her shoulders drooping, her breathing deep and burdened.

Mina hears the door click shut. Her insides feels raw as if a winter wind is blowing right through her skin. The last words uttered in the room haunts her, replaying like an echo. She doesn't want others to see her cry. She leaves the room quietly and locks herself in her room. There, she lets the tears flow in muffled sobs, wrecking her heart and shattering it into a million pieces.

Nayeon walks aimlessly as rain drops begin to caress her skin, as if to heal and soothe with their gentle touch. To call it walking in a daze doesn't begin to cover the dark clouds that's formed in her head.


	26. Chapter 26

Sana knocks gently afraid if she did it any louder she'll break the girl behind the closed door. The door opens after a while and when Mina's red and puffy eyes stare back at her she pulls her into a hug and let the fresh set of tears soak through her shirt. She holds the girl in her arms as they lay on the bed and lays kisses on the top of her head when she feels her quake and tremble as more tears assault her. She doesn't let go until she feels the sobs die down and the broken girl slips into a slumber as if to sleep her pain away.

Jeongyeon approaches Jihyo who's staring at the rain. There's a hardened line on her forehead as she looks out into the rainy night. "Are you mad at me?" Her voice cracks and Jihyo turns to look at her, giving her a sad smile.

"Am I mad at you for falling in love?" She shakes her head as she grips the rail of the balcony. "No, but I wish they weren't hurt."

"I wish for that too." Tears fall freely from her face and Jihyo pulls her into her side as they stand there together, watching the rain pouring down like all the angels in heaven are crying for them.

Tzuyu cuddles up next to Chaeyoung who hasn't said a word since Mina and Nayeon left. "They'll be okay."

Chaeyoung laughs dryly wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I never wanted to hurt Mina."

"I know." Tzuyu pulls the girl to her chest and holds her there. "I'm sure she knows too."

When Nayeon comes back to the dorm nearing midnight, soaked from head to toe in the rain, Momo grabs a towel and pulls her wordlessly to her room. She dries the shivering girl and peels off her wet clothes. Nayeon lets her. She sits there as Momo pulls a warm jumper over her head and stares at a spot near her feet. Her eyes are dry as if she has no more tears left in them. Dahyun joins them after a while and they huddle up on either side of Nayeon on the bed, holding her and comforting her without words until she falls asleep.

Mina wakes up in the middle of the night. There's a weight pressing on her chest and she feels like she can't breathe. She gently removes Sana's hand that's wrapped around her middle, careful not to wake the sleeping girl and goes to the balcony to get some air. She stops when she sees Nayeon there, looking troubled and broken. She wants to leave her alone but as if pieces of iron drawn by specks of magnet, her feet carries her to where the older girl is.

Nayeon turns around when she hears the door to balcony open. Her gaze locks with Mina who is looking at her with those soft eyes full of concern. "Can't sleep?" Nayeon asks, as the younger girl joins by her side to stare at the starry sky. The dark clouds are starting to clear and the moon is gently peeking behind them.

"Nayeon-chan." Mina whispers, gazing at the sky above her.

"Yes."

"Why do you always stare at the rain?"

Nayeon briefly wonders if she should lie as she looks at the distant cars flashing their lights in the dark night as they speed past them. She decides to go with the truth because the girl next to her has been lied to enough by the people she loved. "It was raining when I first met her."

Nayeon chances a glance to her side and sees the younger girl nod silently. Her eyes glistening with tears.

"It's not raining now." She speaks in a low hushed voice. There's a tinge of sorrow in them and Nayeon's heart begins to ache anew like someone's taken it out of her chest, squeezing it mercilessly with their bare hands.

"No. It's not." She hums.

"Do you love her?"

Nayeon lets out a soft breath. "Since the very first moment I saw her."

"It hurts to have love not reciprocated." Mina finishes for her as she finally turns to look at Nayeon.

Nayeon's eyes moisten when she sees the tears in the younger girl's dark brown eyes. She averts her gaze and stands there in silence with her for a long time, letting the soft breeze of the night caress their broken hearts.

\---------------------

Sana wakes up startled and finds the spot next to her on the bed empty. A panic seizes her heart as she throws her feet on the floor and rushes to the living room. She lets out a sigh of relief when she sees Mina spread out on the couch, her eyes fluttered shut. On the other end of the couch, Nayeon is sleeping upright, a comforting hand lingering on the younger girl's ankle. A quick glance at the clock in the living room shows it's six in the morning. They have a shoot in a few hours and Sana decides to make the girls breakfast as all of them have skipped dinner.

Nayeon stirs from her sleep when she hears the sound of pans making soft clanging noise. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Sana's tone is apologetic.

"No." Nayeon dismisses her concern as she goes around the counter to help her with the breakfast.

"I'll handle this. You should sleep some more." Sana strokes her arms up and down.

Nayeon shrugs. "It's fine. I need to occupy myself with something."

Sana understands the need for distraction. They make breakfast side by side in companionable silence.

After making breakfast, she tells Nayeon that her bandage needs to be changed. Her heart aches a little when she sees the older girl not even flinching when she peels away the sticky tape from her bruised skin, almost as if she's used to pain.

Momo tries to crack a joke here and there, because she finds the odd silence in the van extremely unsettling. Nayeon forces a smile every now and then for her benefit, but Momo wants to cry at how empty and blank her gaze is. Like she's just a shell of the person she used to be. Sana holds Mina in her arms who's staring out the window. Chaeyoung doesn't sit next to Jeongyeon because she doesn't want to make Mina uncomfortable. She sometimes catches Jeongyeon's eyes and gives her a reassuring, affectionate smile to show nothing has changed between them. Jihyo, Tzuyu and Dahyun don't say much but their gaze full of concern and worry often flickers between Nayeon and Mina.

In front of the camera, they put on their professional faces and pretend to be their usual cheerful selves. Mina finds it hard to pretend. She has to will herself not to cry when they are asked on the show to perform for What is love. The last thing she needs is another public breakdown and the gossips that would hound her after.

Nayeon's watchful eyes doesn't miss a thing. Every time she thinks there are no more tears left in her, all she has to do is see Mina's beautiful face pained with utter despair and anguish and her eyes moisten. She has to blink rapidly to push back the unshed tears.

"Mina, you'll have to eat something." Jihyo tries weakly as she takes the spoon to her lips which refuses to open. She knows how the girl struggled to pull herself together during the shoot and she hates there's nothing she can do to help her out of this misery that seems never ending.

"Nayeon and Mina haven't eaten the whole day." Momo cries into Tzuyu's shoulder. Tzuyu doesn't know what to say to comfort the emotional girl so she holds her and strokes her back soothingly.

Chaeyoung sits between Jeongyeon and Dahyun as they try to have their dinner. Each morsel of food passes through their throat painfully. They leave their dinner barely touched.

Sana changes the bandage once again the next morning and tries to persuade Nayeon to have breakfast. "If you have it, Mina might be convinced too." Nayeon forces the breakfast through the lump in her throat, afraid it's going to come right back up but she continues to eat it because Mina is sitting across her, her eyes often lingering on Nayeon. Nayeon lets out a soft sigh when she sees the younger girl take a small bite of her toast. She feels a small glimmer of hope in the darkness that surrounds her.

The faint glimmer of hope gets shredded into pieces and stomped upon when she hears Mina on the phone late at night. "Mama." The younger girl sobs. "I want to come home."


	27. Chapter 27

Chaeyoung walks side by side with Jeongyeon in the park. She feels awful because she has been keeping her distance from the taller girl when all she wants is to do is be in her arms. "I love you."

Jeongyeon stops and turns to look at her. They're in a public place and Chaeyoung knows it's not wise to show affection here so she takes the older girl's hand for a moment and squeezes it gently to show how much she means her words.

"I love you too." Jeongyeon smiles the first real smile in three days.

Chaeyoung nods shyly and they continue to walk in the park, their hands often gently brushing against each other.

Nayeon feels conflicted when she sees Mina in her room talking to Jihyo about the decision she has made. A part of her wants to ask her, beg her even, to change her mind, but if going back home is the only means she's going to be healed Nayeon doesn't want to stand in the way of that.

Chaeyoung takes a deep breath and opens the door to Mina's room who looks startled at first but soon relaxes in her presence. "I know you're mad at me."

"I'm not Chaeyoungah." Mina's voice is low but sure. It throws Chaeyoung off a bit. "You should be."

Mina shakes her head. She walks towards where Chaeyoung is standing, looking small and guilty and it affects her so much she takes her hand in hers and whispers. "I'm mad at the situation maybe, but I'm not mad at you. I could never be."

Chaeyoung feels tears prick her eyes. She's not sure if she deserves this kind of love and affection from her, not after what she had done. "Then why are you leaving?"

Mina drops her gaze and looks at their linked hands. She recalls Sana's words in her head. We all pull away from things that hurts us. She doesn't tell Chaeyoung that. She offers a small smile and says, "I'm a little homesick."

Chaeyoung knows it's a lie, for her benefit and more tears well in her eyes. Mina doesn't like how fragile and broken Chaeyoung looks. So she tugs on her hands and pulls her into a warm hug, telling her repeatedly they're okay and she's going to be okay too.

The girls gather in the living room that night when Mina breaks her decision to everyone.

Momo's voice cracks as she asks, "When will you come back?"

Mina doesn't have an answer to that. It could be a month, or six or never but she can't say that to the girl who looks like she's about to cry. "Soon."

Nayeon knows what soon means. She feels numb from pain that she can't even react to it anymore.

"I've spoken to the management. They'll make an official announcement to the fans in a week's time." Jihyo tells Mina who smiles back gratefully at her.

"Is there anything I can do to change your mind?" Jeongyeon's voice is small and hoarse like she is struggling to keep tears out of her eyes.

Mina goes to kneel in front of her and lifts her face up with a finger to her chin. "Can you promise me just one thing?"

Jeongyeon nods her head silently.

"Keep her happy." Mina whispers. "Don't ever break her heart."

The words feel so final, like a goodbye even, that Jeongyeon is so overcome with emotion she wraps her arms around Mina's neck and sobs into her hair.

All of them spend time together making dinner, because soon it's just going to be the eight of them. The bitter truth a little hard to swallow for the girls in the dorm.

"Where's Nayeon?" Jihyo asks Dahyun who avoids her eyes.

"Dahyun, tell me!!"

"Went to a bar."

"Alone?" Jihyo rubs a hand to her temple. She knows the girl has her heart broken by Jeongyeon and wonders how Dahyun thought it would be a great idea to let her wander off alone.

"I tried to go with her." Dahyun explains, "but she promised she isn't going to get drunk and just wanted some time alone."

Jihyo relaxes a little, because she knows Nayeon doesn't make empty promises. That doesn't mean she can stop worrying because Nayeon shouldn't be alone, not when she's nursing a broken heart.

\-------------------

Mina hears the keys shuffling in the front door. Soft footsteps echoes in the empty living room and she knows Nayeon is back home. She glances at the bedside clock. The time reads two in the morning. She's not able to sleep because the dull ache in her heart seems to grow and intensify with every passing moment. She's surprised she's not used to the pain by now. Soon, she'll be away from this never ending, all consuming darkness.

Nayeon watches the clouds from the windows of the living room. She can't help but compare the night with her own state of mind, because her insides are in a chaos just like those dark clouds. Something aches inside her, something feels so wrong and even though she knows the cause for this pain she doesn't have a solution to make it go away. Even the liquor that burnt down her throat didn't seem to douse the pain.

"Nayeon-chan." She doesn't turn. She knows who it is and doesn't know if she wants to face her. Because one look at her face is going to break her all over again.

"When are you leaving?" Her voice is hoarse, like she has done a lot of crying.

Mina comes to stand next to her by the window. "Tomorrow."

Nayeon's eyes are trained on the overhead clouds. "You're going alone?"

"Mum is flying in in the morning. I'll be leaving with her in the evening flight."

The older girl nods. A silence envelopes them for a while and Mina glances at Nayeon's side profile. She tells herself she's not going to cry but when Nayeon turns to her side and looks at her with an empty gaze, Mina feels a fresh set of tears assault her. "Nayeon-chan." For some reason she steps closer to the older girl who continues to look. Mina notices a little life coming to her empty eyes when she lays a hand on top of hers. "I want to ask you something."

Nayeon looks away briefly because if she looked into those tear filled eyes a second longer she's sure she's going to break down. When she takes a deep breath and collects her composure, she inquires in a low voice. "Yes, Mina?"

Mina removes her hand and drops her gaze to the floor as if she's trying to find some courage there to ask what's in the tip of her tongue. When she looks back up, Nayeon is gazing at her. Her eyes open and honest, yet so elusive and indecipherable. "I know you think you've lost your chance." Mina tries to hold a sob back. "But will you tell her you love her?"

Nayeon hates herself because she was determined not to cry. Not in front of Mina, who already looks so broken and fragile. "Why?" She blinks to clear the tears in her eyes.

Mina is not hiding hers anymore as they freely fall down her beautiful face. Her voice is shaky and her body trembles as she sobs, "So you can move on."

Those words completely break Nayeon. She closes her eyes shut as hot tears well behind them. When she opens them back again Mina is looking at her, her usually warm eyes devastatingly burdened with melancholy. Nayeon wants to reach out and wipe the tears off her cheeks. But her own set of tears are blurring her vision and she finds it hard to see.

"I don't think I can ever." She admits quietly, not caring anymore how torrent of tears are flowing down her eyes.

"I want you to at least get a closure." Mina says through a muffled sob. "Promise me you'll tell her?"

Nayeon can't deny the younger girl anything, especially when she's about to step out of their lives. She takes a step away from her and moves closer to the window. She doesn't say anything for a while as if she is lost in her thoughts. "I will." She husks. "But I wish, I wish for once you'd do the same too."

"Why do you make it sound like a last wish?" Mina glances at the older girl, her heart twisting and turning in pain and agony.

"Maybe because it feels like one. Like you're never coming back here."

The younger girl's lower lips quiver as more tears streak down her rosy cheeks.


	28. Chapter 28

Nayeon stirs from her sleep when the doorbell rings. She wishes she could sleep through this day so she can pretend it never happened. The doorbell rings again and she knows there's only so much denial one can live in and she can't escape the reality forever. She peels Momo away from her gently and goes to open the door.

"Okachan." A warm face greets her.

"Nayeon-tan." The woman pulls her into an affectionate hug. Nayeon stays in the hug for a while longer. Wanting to feel anything other than the numbness in her heart. When the older woman pulls back from the hug, she's startled by the pained eyes staring back at her. Those eyes that are usually full of life have frozen over like the surface of an icy lake in winter, devoid of the warmth she sees in them, like the younger girl has taken a huge step back from life and now only remains of the person she used to be exists. She wants to reach for her and tell her life isn't hopeless but she knows she won't believe her. The motherly part of her wants to reassure her everything is going to be okay because she always knew behind the playful exterior there was a lot of pain and agony, but now it's visible on her face and she doesn't know how to make it go away.

The clock strikes five shaking them both out of their reverie.

"Mina is still sleeping." Nayeon's voice comes out in a thick hoarse. "Do you want me to wake her?"

She shakes her head in negative. "How about I make some hot chocolate for you and let her sleep in for a while?"

She has no appetite but turns out she can never say no to the Myoui women as she finds herself nodding her head in a silent yes.

She barely takes a sip from the mug when they both hear a sleepy voice from the bedroom door. "Mama?"

"Minari." She extends her hand towards her beloved daughter.

Nayeon leaves her mug in the sink and tells the women she's going to take a shower. Their eyes follow her with worried glances.

Mina packs the last of her things while her mother makes lunch with the other girls. She hears faint chatter coming from the living room, none of the voices belong to the person she is going to miss terribly. She turns to her left and see the wild flower. It looks limp and dry, like it's hanging on to the last shred of sentience. She takes it out from the vase and lays a soft kiss on it as if to bring it back to life. It's dead, just like her.

Sana finds Nayeon in her bedroom, away from the conversation, drowning in her thoughts. "The cab is going to arrive soon."

Nayeon smiles at her, the kind of smile someone throws when they have no hope left. Like they're giving up on life and accepting their fate for what it is. "I'll be there." She says but doesn't move from her spot. She buries her face in her hands and squeezes her eyes shut and Sana's heart ache for her.

Chaeyoung helps Mina and her mother carry their luggage to the waiting cab. Momo stares at Mina's empty room. A hundred questions rattle inside her as she wonders if there is any way she can go back in time and prevent this from happening. Dahyun lays a comforting hand on her shoulder and they walk to the lift holding each other, trying to draw strength from their friendship to get through this.

Mina tries not to cry, she doesn't have anymore strength left in her to face another onslaught of tears. She hugs Momo first. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to be okay."

Momo nods through her tears. Dahyun leaves a kiss on Mina's head who smiles sadly at her.

"Do you have to go?" Tzuyu shows a rare display of emotion, wiping the tears from her eyes. Mina nods her head as she helps her mother into the cab. She turns to Tzuyu and takes her in for a hug.

"We're sorry." Mina dismisses Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon's apology with a 'don't be. You have nothing to do with this. Make each other happy.'

Jihyo doesn't say anything but holds Mina tightly for a long time, reluctant to let go. When she sees Mina look behind her shoulders, she breathes out, "She's in her room. You know she hates goodbyes."

Nayeon might hate it, but Mina wants to see her face one last time before the cab drives her to a destination that's going to take her a thousand miles away from them.

"Mama."

"Yes darling?"

"Give me five minutes." She asks, and the older woman nods in understanding.

"Take all the time you need."

\---------------------

Nayeon slowly gets up on her feet as a sharp pain soars through her head, her whole body feels beaten and every step she takes makes her muscle ache. Until now, she's never known a broken heart could affect someone physically. Regardless, she wants to get out of here before it's too late. When she makes her way to the car park, she sees Mina about to climb the stairs to the lobby. She sees her pausing mid step when their eyes meet across the distance.

Nayeon saunters down the steps, approaching the younger girl who holds her gaze. Mina looks frozen for a while before the corners of her mouth quirk up a little resuming their usual softness.

"You missed something?" Nayeon queries when she finally reaches her.

Mina's eyes are trained on her, her long eyelids a fraction too slow to blink as if her brain is suffering a massive short circuit. "Yes." She whispers after a while but doesn't seem to make a move to go and retrieve whatever she forgot.

Nayeon's gaze flickers across the captivating face that doesn't hide much emotions. Her pain is evident in the crease of her perfectly shaped brow, in the ocean of hopeless grief in her deep brown eyes. Her cheeks are rosy against the cool breeze and she's wearing a pretty dress that Chaeyoung gifted her in Hawaii. Nayeon understands the sentiment behind it. It's like Mina's taking a part of the younger girl with her.

"You're wearing my sweater." Mina points at the bunny and baby chick jumper and smiles.

Nayeon shrugs. "I wanted to see you smile before you go."

Mina's resolve to not cry crumbles at the quietly uttered words. She looks away for a moment trying to gather herself, but as much as she tries to hold it in, the pain comes out like an uproar from her throat and beads of water starts to fall down one after another. Her head tilt sideward to the older girl's face, her eyes sliding into focus.

"Does it still hurt?" She points a finger to her ribs. Nayeon shakes her head, her heart constricts in its wake as if not sure if it should go on beating when she hears the concern in the voice. "Nayeon-chan." She sobs. "You.."

Nayeon stands there, tears pricking her eyes, pale hands trembling with grief and sadness.

Mina reaches to take one of them in hers and cups their hands. Her eyes are raw and glistening as she looks up at the older girl. "You are not going to hurt yourself anymore. Promise me you'll be careful." Nayeon nods through her tears. "And if you get sick, remember I keep your favorite coco powder on the top shelf." She falters as another sob cracks through the words.

Nayeon closes her eyes shut, muffled tears wracking against her chest. When she opens them, Mina is looking at her with her tear filled eyes and they're so different in this moment, more soft than Nayeon knew eyes could be. They look at each other for a long moment until Chaeyoung taps Mina's shoulder and tells her it's time to go.

Nayeon takes a step forward as if to hug the younger girl but stops herself. Because if she does, she's not going to let her go.

"Bye Nayeon-chan." Mina wipes away the remnant of tears from her cheeks and steps into the cab. As the cab pulls away, Nayeon doesn't let go of her gaze, taking in every moment for her memory. She wipes the tears with the back of her hand determined not to let her gaze fall. Once the cab turns the corner, the reality of the situation comes crashing down on her. The world turns into a blur, so does all the sound.

Tears fall from her unblinking eyes with no sign of stopping and drips into the sweater.

"Nayeon." Sana lays a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The cab has been gone for five minutes." Nayeon nods, clearing her tears away but a fresh torrent busts forth. Sana pulls her to her chest where she stays until the crying subsides. When they finally make it to the dorm, Momo glances at Nayeon's beautiful brown eyes that are swollen and sore and feels her own heart break. She extends her arms, whispering quietly, "Mina asked me to give you this."

Nayeon reaches for the envelope with shaking hands. Her head spins and her throat tightens as her heart begins to painfully throb in its chest.

Mina pulls the seatbelt around her and stares out the window. It's bright and sunny outside a striking contrast to the dark void inside her. Her eyes are dry and there's a numbness in her heart like she can't feel any more pain.

But her traitorous heart begins to ache with renewed pain when her mother hands over an envelope and says, "Nayeon-tan gave this for you."


	29. Chapter 29

Mina begins to read the neatly scribbled lines, as she holds the paper in her trembling hands.

_Dear Mina,_

_You made me promise I'll tell her I love her. I don't know where to start so let me go to the very beginning. You asked me why I always stared at the rain. It was raining when I first met her. I was talking to Jeongyeon._

Mina's brows creases with confusion. If Nayeon was talking to Jeongyeon then who was the girl in the rain she always spoke about?

_A taxi arrived behind us. Another trainee shouted a new recruit had joined. So I went to the balcony to have a look. There was this girl playing with the rain drops, holding her umbrella, wearing a red jumper and blue jeans. I've never seen anyone enjoy that weather so much. I've never felt something warm flutter in my chest before that._

_Then I saw her face. Her beautiful freckled face._

_And then she smiled. A dazzling gummy smile._

_Every time I look at the rain, it reminds me of her. It reminds me of that moment._

_It reminds me of you, Mina._

Mina blinks back the tears in her eyes. Nayeon is talking about her, not Jeongyeon or anyone else. She's talking about her like she's the most beautiful girl in the world and her hand trembles even more that she almost lets the paper slip.

Nayeon opens the envelope, her touch tender and delicate as if she's holding the younger girl herself.

_Nayeon-chan,_

_You've never asked me for anything, except for the one wish that I tell her I love her. There are so many things I remember vaguely from my first day at Sixteen, like meeting Chaeyoung, the smell of coffee, the sound of rain. But the only thing I remember vividly is you. I was walking to the lobby when I heard commotion in the first floor balcony. You were about to fall off it and my heart almost leaped to my throat. Jihyo pulled you back just in time and you stood there scratching your neck, giving her that goofy smile of yours._

_The rain I loved so much blurred around me as your beautiful face was the only thing I could see._

_I've loved you since that day Nayeon-chan._

Nayeon flutters her eyes shut. She's not sure if she's dreaming because this doesn't feel real. She feels like someone is going to wake her up any moment and then the disappointment is going to hit her brutally.

_Mina, you know I almost fell off the balcony trying to get closer to you. I fell in love hard and fast at first sight that I wasn't even aware that I was standing on the first floor. If Jihyo hadn't pulled me back on time, Nayeon-chan would have long been Nayeon-gone._

Mina chuckles as she reads the letter. She wipes the tears that's falling with the back of her hand as she recalls that day.

_I don't like rainy weather Mina, but I see your face in every single drop, that's why I can't stop staring._

Mina's lower lip quivers at the weight behind those words. Like a land hit by hurricane, those words hit her heart and destroy every single insecurities she's had.

_Everyone says that I'm cheerful, easy going but did you know I couldn't utter a single word in front of you? If you hadn't approached me for taking a picture, I'd have never had the courage to talk to you._

Mina bites her lips as her glistening eyes lingers on that letter, as her mind travels back to the particular moment.

_Nayeon-chan, I would have never had the courage to talk to you, but I was going back home and I didn't know if I'd ever see you again. I wanted to take a picture with you so I could always keep you with me. I was absolutely terrified when I approached you because I had done nothing like that in my life, but what terrified me even more was the thought I could forget your face. That, I couldn't live with._

Nayeon holds the paper to her face for a moment. There's not a single day she forgot the first day she saw Mina or the first time they spoke. Every memory with her is etched into every cell of her being.

_You were a star Minaya, people took an instant liking to you because you're so beautiful and warm and I was so jealous of them. Because I could hardly string four words together in your presence and they'd be talking in long ass paragraphs to you._

Mina laughs through her tears because the word _ass_ is crossed out and Nayeon has scribbled _winded_ over it.

_Nayeon-chan you were so popular, everyone wanted to be around you, laughing with you, joking with you. Sana spoke about you non stop, Momo would always sigh when you walked past, you had the ability to stop a room and turn everyone's head. I was just a normal girl. Then we became friends somehow and I was the happiest girl alive._

Nayeon chuckles, just a normal girl? Mina is her whole world and turns out she has absolutely no idea about it.

_Minaya, I learned how to be able to hold a conversation with you, I learned how to make you smile, how to make you happy, I learned every single thing about you without you having to tell me. Jeongyeon once told me we always notice things about people we love. I even know what fragrance of shampoo you prefer when you have a headache, isn't that pathetic?_

Mina shakes her head as if Nayeon could see her through the letter, the tears in her eyes don't seem to stop.

_I learned so many things about you Minayah, the only thing I didn't learn was how to live with unrequited love. I tried to date to get over you, it was a huge failure. I couldn't even bring myself to kiss any of them. I wouldn't even hold their hands._

Nayeon rubs a hand on her temple. She's crying but there's a sad smile on her face as she skims through the letter and reads the next words.

_Nayeon-chan, We used to be really close friends, but I couldn't sit there and watch you date people after people when all I wanted to do was be the one you smiled at, you wanted to kiss and hold hands with. When I see other people flirting with you, I get so jealous when I have absolutely no rights. I couldn't put myself through that pain repeatedly. I slowly pulled away._

Nayeon muffles a sob as Sana's words echo through her ears. We always pull away from things that hurts us.

_I didn't know how crazy love can be until I fell for you. I pulled away but I couldn't resist doing every single thing you liked Nayeon-chan, right from your obsession with snacks to what you eat when you're sick, I know every single thing about you. I don't even drink hot chocolate, but I make it for you, you never seem to notice I only drink coffee. People in love are usually blind and I know you're in love with Jeongyeon, but I hoped day after day that maybe just maybe there's one percent chance that you'd like me back too. False hopes never let anyone be happy, do they?_

Nayeon's eyes prick with fresh set of tears. Mina has loved her back but she'd missed all the signs. Every single fucking thing, like some kind of cruel cosmic joke.

_Minayah, I don't know why you pulled away from me, but then I started seeing you with Chaeyoung, joking with her, being physically affectionate like you belonged together and I knew I had no chance with you. You loved her and I loved you. This is how it's always going to be. It hurts to have love not reciprocated you said. Yes! I know your favourite colour, favourite music, but what good it is when she's your favourite person? I still wanted to give you the best, you deserve everything in this world Mina. That's why when Chaeyoung approached me, I helped her give you everything I'd have given you and I'd have given you the world if you asked me. I still would. I wanted you to be happy, it didn't matter to me who made you happy as long as you're happy._

_You weren't a plan, a scheme Mina._

_You are everything to me._

_I remember how pretty you looked in that floral dress and when I sang can't help falling in love, I meant every word because that's how I feel about you. Everyday I tell myself, this is the day I get over you and I fall a little more in love because you've decided to do something as simple as breathing._

Mina bites her lips as a smile shines through her glistening eyes.

_And when Chaeyoung finally asked you on top of the Ferris wheel, I was dying inside. I couldn't bear to look up. Why does love have to hurt so much?_

"Oh Nayeon-chan" Mina sobs because she knows that pain, she's been there, and knowing Nayeon has gone through the same because of her, affects her in a way that drives her to a crying mess.

_Nayeon-chan, I've always seen Chaeyoung as a sister, so when I sensed that she was going to ask me out I tried to avoid it as much as possible because I didn't want to hurt her and my broken heart belonged to you. Sometimes I get my hopes up and think that you might feel something towards me when you do things like pretending you're not afraid of heights to jump with me, decorate a spot and get me dinner just the way I like it, buy me a dress that I absolutely adore but then I had all these false hopes stomped upon when I found out you were doing all of that only to help Chaeyoung._

_For a moment, my delusional mind thought you were singing Can't help falling in love for me that night. But then I asked you what you wanted, you said that I should date Chaeyoung. My delusions chattered. I can't even begin to describe the pain I felt when I saw your operation Michaeng box. It completely broke me Nayeon-chan. You were ready to give me away to another person and that only meant you felt nothing towards me. I wasn't mad at you, I was mad at the reality that you'll never feel the way I feel about you._

_I am and I will always be a nothing to you Nayeon-chan._

Nayeon doesn't even bother to wipe away the tears anymore. Every word squeezes her heart painfully like there are hundred bricks on her chest.

_Mina, I could sit and watch you fall in love in with another person, I could put myself through torture every single second just to give you your happy ending that doesn't involve me, but the only thing I'm incapable of doing is see you heartbroken. I knew your heart was going to be broken when the girl you love declares she loves someone else, I couldn't sit there and watch it. I left. All I ever wanted is for you to be happy Mina. My heart aches when I see how you long for Chaeyoung's love, why does the most perfect girl in my eyes, the most beautiful girl in this world have to go through a pain she doesn't deserve? I know you're going away so you can get over her, but why do I want to get close to you all the time? Remember when you came to towel dry my hair and you looked so uncomfortable but all I wanted was to be able to close the gap and kiss you. That makes me a terrible person doesn't it?_

_I would have never told you how I feel if you hadn't made me promise, but I'm glad I'm writing this letter because I don't want you to think even for a second that you're not worthy of love._

_Not when I am sure that I'll never be able to stop loving you._

Mina clutches the letter to her chest and sobs. For the pain she's put the older girl through, for the pain she's caused to someone she loved with all her heart.

_Nayeon-chan, why do I love you so much that sometimes I feel like I can't breathe? Every little thing you do makes me love you more. When you play pranks, when you goof around, when you call the moon a doughnut, when you talk to yourself, when you smile that dazzling smile, when you can't sit still in one place all I want to do is kiss you. Sometimes you come so close to my heart and make me feel like I have a chance at love like when you hurt yourself getting me a flower, when you give me your coat and stay in the cold, when you fill the tub so painstakingly for me to have a warm bath, when you got me the vinyl. But there are times I feel you're so far out of my reach because you pull away when I get closer to you, I describe my type as playful and funny and you don't see it, I get you candies because you said your type is someone to get them, you ignore it! Why do you never see the love I have for you? Why do you have to both pull and push me away? Why can't I stop loving you no matter what? Why does all of this hurt so much? I couldn't walk away from you despite it all. But the one thing I can't do is sit and watch you go through the same heartbreak I go through every single day. I can't bear to see the pain in your eyes._

_That's why I'm going away. Someone broke your heart and I can do nothing to fix it. In perhaps another reality, I would be the one who has your heart and in that reality I'll take care of it with my life. Goodbye Nayeon-chan._

_I'll always love you._

Nayeon drops the letter from her hand as sobs begin to wreck her chest. She's let the girl she loved walk away from her, all because she was too blinded by her own misery. She's hurt her so badly that she could never even ask for her forgiveness.

The letter flutters in the wind and Momo leans down to pick it up. Her heart aches as she reads every word that's so raw and honest. Her own tears prickle her eyes as she hugs Nayeon to her chest and holds her until she feels the gut wrenching sobs soften down to burdened heaves of breath.

\---------------------------

The girls stare at Nayeon who is sitting on the couch with her face buried in her hands. Her body shakes with unshed tears and they don't know what to do. Except Jihyo, who always has a good head on her shoulders. "Why are you crying?" She pries her hands away gently and looks at the teary eyes of the older girl.

"Because I'm in love with her too." Nayeon stutters through her sobs. It takes a moment for all the girls in the living room to process that information.

There's a heavy silence for a while until Tzuyu drops to the floor, kicking her legs and holding her hands to her stomach as a laughter rips through her. Dahyun frowns at the girl who's hiccuping as she tries to get a control over herself. Nayeon stares at her with wide eyes in disbelief. "Chaeyoungah, you didn't just get friend zoned by Mina, you got brozoned." Tzuyu snorts, pointing a finger at the girl who stares back at her, her gaze a mixture of amusement and irritation. Momo tries not to laugh, but soon she's giggling away with Tzuyu.

"It doesn't matter." Chaeyoung chuckles as she pulls Jeongyeon to her side. "As long as I'm not brozoned by this one here."

Jeongyeon flushes brightly.

"It all makes sense now." Sana talks to herself. "Like when I saw them both lost in thoughts in Michaeng date spot, they were actually thinking about each other."

"Minayeon has been real all the time." Dahyun holds a hand to her heart, because back in their trainee days she always thought they'd make a cute couple, until they grew apart from each other.

Jihyo ignores them all and looks at Nayeon again with her unwavering glance. "Why are you crying?"

Momo wonders if Jihyo has a hearing problem. She is about to suggest a good list of clinics near their dorm when Jihyo interrupts, "No Momo, my ears are perfectly fine." Momo steps back surprised how Jihyo just read her mind. Tzuyu sniggers behind her hand at Momo's look of astonishment and fascination. Anyone who knows how a three year old's mind works wouldn't have a problem saying what's in her head. "Why are you crying? You love her and she loves you back." Jihyo pokes the older girl's chest. "Here's what we are going to do."

Nayeon glances up at her, her eyes red and puffy. "Momo, you're going to call Mina and try and stop her from getting on that flight." Jihyo instructs in a clear voice. She turns to look at Dahyun and states, "You're going to call a cab."

Dahyun begins to type a number on her phone and whispers covering the speaker with her hand. "On it."

Momo pouts as the call to Mina goes to a voicemail. "Keep trying, Tzuyu call her mother in the meanwhile." Jihyo flickers her gaze between the pair on the floor. Dahyun tells them the cab is going to arrive in seven minutes.

"You're not going to the airport dressed in a hoodie." Chaeyoung declares. Nayeon wants to protest but before she could do any of it, Chaeyoung drags her to the bedroom pulling the Irish dance costume she wore for a shoot.

"Good choice, because I swear Mina was giving her the heart eyes when she was in that." Dahyun announces, giving Nayeon a once over herself.

"The cab is here." Jeongyeon pants for breath when she comes back running from the balcony.

Nayeon takes a deep breath and sighs. Jihyo smoothes down the collar of her shirt and pats her shoulder like a father would do before they get their kids married off. "Shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes to get to the airport." She says with confidence. "You're going to bring her back home."

Nayeon looks unsure. "We aren't in a film. I don't think airport moments work for us because we're Twice."

Jihyo chuckles. "Exactly. We are Twice." Nayeon tilts her head in confusion. "We either live in stages or airports." Jihyo quirks her eyebrow as if to state her point. "Airports are our second home. We always have moments there."

Nayeon for the first time slowly breaks into a grin.

Momo looks at the girl running down the corridor and smiles to herself. She lets out a soft sigh and swoons dreamily.

"Go Jack. Go, get your Rose."


	30. Chapter 30

Nayeon stumbles out of the cab and utters a hurried thank you to the driver. She pulls the mask tighter around her face and covers her head with the hoodie on her coat. And then she breaks into a run, feet kissing the concrete floor of the airport. The pounding noise of her desert boots resonates off the walls with an echo that matches the heart throbbing inside her chest with thick anxiety and fear.

Breathing steady, she opens the glass doors thankful for the pandemic for the first time because it meant very little people at the airport and no paparazzis. She's sweating when she reaches the bottom of the steps to the departure area. People around her move with ease, flowing from the checkin desks through the departure gates, each one of them heading to their own destinations.

Her eyes scans the plasma screens of departure times on the wall of the airport. It shows Mina's flight has been delayed and she still has five minutes to stop the girl. Sweat rolls down her skin in thick salty beads as she begins to bolt down past people lined up at the check in desk with their suitcases and baggage. She's vaguely aware of a stinging in her leg but quickens her pace to an all out sprint as she approaches the woman in the counter.

"I'm sorry the flight is just about to take off and we can't make calls now." The woman tells in a non apologetic tone.

Nayeon's lungs feel like they will burst because her throat is dry and parched as she jogs to the large glass window facing the runway. She touches the glass, dropping to her knees when she sees the majestic and enormous airplane take off, kissing the land goodbye.

Tears blind her and she turns, walking with the gait of a wounded soldier, legs numb and unsteady, short brown hair clinging to the sweat dripping down the side of her face.  
A taxi takes her back to the dorm as she stares out the window at the dark sky with a defeated look on her face. She climbs the stairs to the building, eyes burning and chest feeling heavy as if it is filled with lead. All she knew was that Mina was gone, out of her life.

A drop of water falls into her hand and she looks up to the sky and although it looks like it's about to break into a heavy downpour, she knows the water has dripped down from her eyes. She opens the door to the room, past the girls gathered in the living room, eyes unfocused and blurred with tears and drops to the stool around the kitchen island with a heavy sigh. There, her tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down her face.

"She's gone. It's too late." Nayoen sobs into her hands. She feels a familiar, comforting hand on her shoulder as she tries to stifle her tears. "Nayeon-tan, it's never too late for love."

"But she's gone Okachan." Nayeon's voice cracks with another burdened sob and then her eyes grow when she realizes what she has just said. In front of her is Mina's mother who shakes her head with amusement and points over her shoulder.

Nayeon stares with wide eyes at the younger girl in the living room. She refuses to look away even as her body trembles and her shoulders heaves with emotion, afraid the person before her is a fragment of her imagination and would disappear if she blinked.

Mina wipes the tears pouring from her own eyes, as her lips quirk up in the the most brilliant of smiles.

The other girls wonders if Nayeon is just going to gape at Mina all night. As if to answer their question, Nayeon walks to where Mina is slowly, as if in a daze. The astonishment in Nayeon's face gives way to a teary smile as she gazes at the girl who's looking back at her with a shyness in her eyes and softness in her face. There's a loud thud in Nayeon's heart and a noisy buzz in her ears as blood rushes to them.

"Hi." Mina's cheeks are kissed pink, the colour beautiful against her freckled skin.

Nayeon blinks and wipes the tear from her own eyes. The smile on her face grows wider with every passing second. "Hi." She stutters.

They both look away shyly for a fraction of a second, Nayeon trying to compose herself, Mina trying to crush the butterflies in her stomach.

"Hi." Mina repeats, and laughs because it's absurd how ridiculously shy she feels. But when she catches Nayeon's dark and intense eyes again, another blush burns through her cheeks, her face feeling like a hot even.

Nayeon feels a colour coming to her own face as she continues to hold the younger girl's gaze. "You're not going to say anything else?" She breathes out with an unusual shyness in her voice.

Mina looks up at her, her beautiful eyes teary and shining, her face smiling and soft. "I love you."

Nayeon lets out a breath she hasn't realized she's been holding as her heart swells and flutters in her own chest. "Finally." She chuckles through her tears, eyes shining brightly as she pulls Mina into her arms, hands wrapping around her, body melting into the younger girl's, every muscle losing its tension and grief to the pleasant night air.

Mina melts in the warm swaddle of the older girl's chest and arms. She doesn't want to leave because the world seems to have stopped still on its axis. This is the love she's waited for, prayed for and she thanks the heavens above inwardly and hugs all the tighter. "I love you too." She hears Nayeon whisper and smiles with happiness and relief into the older girl's loudly beating heart that matches her owns.

She is finally home.

\----------------

Tzuyu muffles a yawn behind her hands and announces loudly, "Well, I'm sleepy. I'm going to go to my room."

Momo throws her a confused glance and says, "It's only seven in the evening." When Tzuyu nudges her side and points to Nayeon and Mina with her eyes, Momo gets the message. "I'm feeling sleepy too." She declares.

Soon the girls and Mina's mother make excuse one by one and retire to the rooms leaving them alone in the living room.

Mina pulls back from the hug a little, her eyes traveling up the older girl's face fondly. Nayeon's normally elusive and mysterious dark orbs now shines back at her with an openness that melts her heart. It's the eyes of someone who loves deeply.

"I can't believe you just said you love me." Nayeon's voice is low with astonishment and disbelief. Mina attempts to hide her face behind her dainty fingers, but makes no move to remove herself from the arms that's wrapped around her, even as her cheeks become a colour to rival the pink hue of her nail polish, and shines through the gaps.

Nayeon hangs back, allowing Mina time to compose herself, fighting back another smile that wants to break out. Her heart feels full, swelling and threatening to burst in a colorful explosion of butterflies and love. "Saranghae." Nayeon whispers, a rosy colour coming to the tip of her own ears because being this open and vulnerable is new to her.

Mina's hand lingers on the straps of Nayeon's suspenders as she wills herself to meet the eyes of the older girl. She finds it extremely hard to do so because her insides feel squishy, her heart is racing and another blush is rushing through her face. She bites her shaky bottom lips, a subtle smile on her face and a soft gaze in her eyes. "Saranghae." She replies and proceeds to hide her face in Nayeon's chest with a bashfulness and shyness of someone in love.

Nayeon feels the world around her melt away as she continues to hold Mina's frail body close to her, not wanting the moment to end.

"I hear a thunder." Mina mumbles into her chest and lets out a soft contented sigh.

Nayeon pulls back a little, scratches her forehead shyly and looks away for distraction. "It's been beating that way for a while."

Mina shakes her head with a soft smile. "I meant outside."

"Oh." Nayeon stares at a spot near her feet, a stupid blush coating her cheeks.

The sky opens in a heavy downpour, torrents of rain sending a cool breeze into the room. "Do you?" Nayeon catches Mina's eyes and stops what she's about to say. They quickly look away shyly. When their eyes meet again, Mina hides her gummy smile behind a hand and laughs, and Nayeon grins back goofily. "Do you want to go to the balcony?" Nayeon completes.

"Yeah." Mina nods, feeling demure and coy. 

They watch the dimmed city lights amidst the falling rain in silence. Nayeon turns to look at her side and Mina looks back at her, her brown eyes glimmering like the stars in the sky. Mina chews on her bottom lip trying to hold a smile back. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She looks away, blushing.

Nayeon shrugs, a dopey smile splitting her face. The grin grows wider when she suddenly remembers something. "Minayah," Her eyes twinkle as she turns to face the younger girl properly. "You know in the letter, you said you wanted to kiss me." She finishes.

Mina covers her face with both her hands as she flushes brightly and Nayeon chuckles to herself. She is sure if someone could die of happiness, she'd be the first name on that list. "Nayeon-chan," Mina mumbles through her fingers. "You said that too."

Nayeon pries her fingers away from her face gently. She gazes deeply into the soft brown eyes and cups her cheeks that's slowly turning red again. Nayeon feels her own heart beat so loudly it feels like it's going to explode. Mina watches with rapt attention as Nayeon's gaze flicker to her lips and she releases a shaky breath. And then Nayeon is leaning in, pulling her closer by the waist, lowering her face. Mina locks her hands behind Nayeon's neck, her eyes fluttering shut as their lips finally meet.

Her brain short circuits, sparks fly in every direction, the world around them slowly disappears along with all the worries, troubles and pain they've been through. Their lips move in perfect sync, and Mina is smiling into the kiss when Nayeon pulls her closer, deeper and more passionately. When they break apart for air, Nayeon rests her forehead against Mina, whose blonde waves fall around her face, soft against her cheeks.

Mina's chest rises and falls as she draws shaky breaths. She tries to steady herself in the hands that's wrapped around her waist. She looks into the warm eyes before hers that are sparkling, lips curved up into a smile and she can't help but smile back.

"This feels like a dream." Nayeon breathes out.

Mina nods. She is warm against Nayeon's chest, she, Myoui Mina is warm against Im Nayeon's chest. It feels surreal.

"Do you want to make sure we're not dreaming?" Nayeon asks, her eyes zooming in on Mina's lips who inhales sharply.

"How do we do that Nayeon-chan?" Mina whispers, her heart beating in her throat.

"I don't know Minayah, you tell me." Nayeon jokes as she lays a fluttering kiss on Mina's forehead and Mina wonders how it's possible for someone to feel so much happiness. She shakes her head fondly, grabs Nayeon by her suspenders and pulls the goofy girl into her, clamping her lips around the talkative mouth, making light explode behind their closed eyelids.

"Near, far, wherever you are." Momo holds a hand to her chest and begins to sing.

Tzuyu covers her mouth with a hand and hisses. "Shut up, I'm trying to take a picture here."


	31. EPILOGUE

The flash from the cameras blinds her as she walks to the apartment. 

"Is the news about Twice collaborating with Taylor Swift true?" A female journalist asks.

"Congratulations on your number one on U.S billboard girls." A man shouts.

"Nayeon, is it true you have a boyfriend now?" A guy shoves the mic in her face.

Dahyun stifles a laugh and shares a smirk with Nayeon. "Imagine his face if he knows you have a whole ass wife."

Nayeon stares fondly at the ring on her finger. She hurries along the stairs, and taps her feet loudly in the lift that's taking forever to reach her floor. It's crazy how she much she misses the younger girl.

"You've only been away for four hours." Jeongyeon laughs. Nayeon rolls her eyes, Jeongyeon is no better than her when she has to spend some time away from Chaeyoung. She opens the door to the flat she shares with Mina, her eyes eagerly searching for the younger girl.

"Looking for your wife?" Jihyo asks as she puts up the party balloons in the living room. "She's getting dressed."

Nayeon thanks her and elbows Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung who are sucking faces in the corridor out of her way and goes to the bedroom.

"Mina's parents would be here anytime." Tzuyu warns from the kitchen, because she knows Nayeon, she knows the meaning behind the gleam in those twinkling eyes.

Nayeon ignores her and struts down to the end of the corridor and opens the door quietly. She puts the latch on it softly and grins when she finds the brown haired girl struggling to put the straps on her heels.

"Need help?" 

Mina turns around, her face breaking into a soft smile as she walks to where Nayeon is standing at the door and lays a soft peck on waiting lips. "You took longer than I expected." Her eyes gaze into the warm ones before hers. Sometimes Mina thinks she'll never get used to the love she sees in those eyes. "And they cut your hair again." She threads her hand through Nayeon's short wavy hair. She absolutely loves the new makeover, it reminds her of the time when they finally confessed their love four years ago.

"Do you like it?" Nayeon holds Mina's waist and strokes the sliver of skin peeking through the dress with her thumb.

Mina inhales sharply. "I love it." She colours when those intriguing eyes roams appraisingly up and down her her body.

"You look beautiful." Nayeon is sure she's never going to get bored of the shy smile she receives in return whenever she tells Mina that. And Mina does look dazzling in the figure hugging black dress she's wearing. Nayeon pulls the blushing girl into her, and when Mina looks up at her expectantly, she dips her face and presses their lips together.

Mina's tummy knot because Nayeon is catching her lower lip between her teeth and slowly sliding her tongue along it. She melts against the taller woman and sighs happily when Nayeon slips her tongue between her lip, exploring her mouth gently with her tongue. As good as it feels Mina pulls back a little when she feels Nayeon's hand working on the buttons at the throat of her dress.

"Nayeon-chan." She asks in mock severity. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to have sex with my hot wife." Nayeon flashes her a toothy smile. Her hands move back to the button and Mina catches both her hands.

"It's our first wedding anniversary." Mina's willpower slowly crumbles when Nayeon turns her around, pinning her to the door and peppers her neck with kisses. "We should be out there celebrating!"

"I'm trying to celebrate, but you keep interrupting me," Nayeon replies and begins to undo the button again.

"Didn't you get enough last night?" Mina whimpers as Nayeon bites a sensitive spot in her neck and manages to get the top button undone.

"Jagiya," Nayeon says as she leans in close and presses her lips to Mina's again as her inquisitive hands moves to the next button. "That was last night. It's a new day today."

Mina feels all the buttons to the top of her dress come undone. She feels the cool evening air on her bare skin and tries to be the voice of reason weakly. "Our friends are nearby."

"You'll just have to be quiet then." Nayeon sucks an earlobe into her mouth and Mina thinks being quiet is out of question as she lets out a low moan and grabs the older girl for a hot and needy kiss because wherever Nayeon's warm, calloused hands moves, her skin feels like it is on fire. Mina moans softly into Nayeon's mouth when she gently cups her breasts through her bra. Nayeon moves from her lips to her neck, where she gently kisses and licks working towards the hollow between her collarbones. Mina finds the sensations overwhelming as her body thrums with desire. Her eyes roll back in her head when Nayeon's hands tug her bra down to below her breast and kisses down the slope of it.

When Nayeon's palm drags over her nipples Mina has to bite her tongue to keep from yelping. She forgets the party, the guests in their house, everything blurs and fades into background as she finds herself anticipating the moment when Nayeon's expert mouth would envelope her stiff nipple. She's caught in whirlwind of sensation when Nayeon's mouth forms a seal and her tongue worries a taut nipple as her hand gently rolls the other between her thumb and forefinger. Mina has to bite her lip to keep from crying out and threads her hands through Nayeon's hair holding her to her breast.

She doesn't notice that Nayeon has pulled the dress all the way down, which is now pooling around her heels on the floor. Mina feels a shock of cool of air on the nipple Nayeon's mouth has just abandoned as she switches her attention to other nipple. She throws her head back and stifles another moan when Nayeon's palm on her flat tummy pushes downward, sliding into the waistband of her underwear.

"Nayeon-chan." She whimpers as a long index finger slides into her throbbing centre. Mina growls lowly as another finger slips between her moist lips and begins to plunge steadily in and out of her. She is vaguely aware of the fact that more guests must have piled up by now but as long fingers slowly pound into her, a warm mouth sucking on her nipple, she finds herself spreading her thighs as much as she could to give Nayeon better access.

All too soon, she feels a tingling in her extremities that she knows is her climax. She's moaning softly and whimpering occasionally as jagged bolts of pleasure hit her. Her lower body rhythmically tenses and relaxes, the inner muscles of her centre gently squeezing Nayeon's fingers as it strokes in and out. When her hips begins to thrust needily, Nayeon releases her nipple and licks from her nipple up to her neck in a long swipe.

Those haunting dark eyes lock onto Mina's and despite her pleasure she can't seem to close her eyes. "I love you." Nayeon whispers as she thrust her fingers hard and curls them deep inside her. That is all it takes to send Mina over the edge.

She whimpers and closes her eyes as the first powerful contraction is soon followed by more. For a timeless, breathless moment the world contracts to just the wild pleasure shooting through her body. Her chest rises and falls and for a while she only sees the stars, as her body untenses and her breathing slowly returns to normal.

Nayeon withdraws her hand from the steamy confines of Mina's underwear and smiles devilishly as she sucks her finger into her mouth. The visual stimulation is so hot that Mina feels her body shiver with another rush of unadulterated desire. She pulls the older girl into her and smashes their lips together. "Why do I want you so bad again?" Mina whispers into her mouth when they pull apart and rests their head against each other.

Nayeon gives her a roguish grin. "You do?"

Mina is sure her blush is brighter than anything on the midway, but Nayeon is smiling as if she is proud of herself and her heart is swelling. She doesn't know how Nayeon can switch between being hot and cute, making her throb with desire or her heart melt with love.

"I have a perfect solution to that." She husks and Mina shivers a little when she kneels before her on the floor, between her legs, pulling her lacy underwear down, slipping it off, and pushes her thighs apart throwing one heeled foot over her shoulder. Mina throws her head back making a soft thud against the door as Nayeon presses her face tightly to her center and forces her tongue between her lips.

She bites a hand to stop herself from crying out in ecstasy when Nayeon's tongue begins to lap at her centre. Her mind tries to cope with the influx of new sensations, but when Nayeon's tongue finds her already sensitive clit and starts to lash expertly, the muscles in her insides contracts violently and stays clenched. Another strangled cry is torn from her lips when her orgasm arrives. The blissful relief of her muscles and waves of pleasure that spread from her centre outward shakes her uncontrollably.

Nayeon stands on her feet and holds the younger girl until her shaking dies down and her body relaxes and her breathing returns to normal. "Saranghae." Nayeon leaves a fluttering kiss on Mina's swollen lips.

The younger girl's eyes soften as she cups Nayeon's cheek and locks their gaze together. She replies with a warm smile, "Saranghae."

Nayeon pouts when Mina demands she leaves the room for her to get dressed. "Minayah, I put a ring on that finger. I'm allowed to watch." She crosses her arms and huffs.

Mina blushes when she thinks back to what happened in this room moments ago. "Nayeon-chan, we are going to miss our own wedding anniversary party if you're in this room." She chuckles.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Nayeon gives a cocky grin as she tries to wrap her arms around her waist.

"Remind me again why I married you?" Mina laughs her gummy smile, as she puts her hands on Nayeon's chest and and pushes her away.

"Because you love me."

Mina's eye soften. "That I do."

Dahyun laughs at Nayeon who looks quite chuffed with herself. She's setting the table with a dopey grin on her face and Dahyun knows the reason behind it. When Mina steps out of her room, Dahyun asks in a teasing tone, "fashionably late to your own party?"

"That's because Nayeon-chan was busy making her heart flutter with those big hands." Momo winks.

Mina blushes brightly and gives Nayeon a shake of her head who shrugs with a wide grin on her face, not looking the least bit apologetic.

"At least your parents are not here yet." Sana says as she bumps Mina's shoulder playfully.

"Wouldn't want their ears to be subjected to what my poor ears had to endure." Tzuyu snorts making Mina's cheeks redden.

"Why don't you all lay off my wife?" Nayeon grunts and points at Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon sucking faces again. "Go after them."

"Please, they keep it PG." Jihyo smacks Nayeon's arm playfully who has the decency to blush.

"Oh look it's raining." Momo points out excitedly.

Nayeon looks at the rain falling gently, making soft sounds against the window. Her heart feels full, and she catches Mina's eyes across the living room, their eyes locked in a shared understanding, conveying the three words that meant everything to them.


End file.
